Jordan Peterson & Andrew Huberman: Neuroscience Meets Psychology
Jordan Peterson Andrew Huberman
Who is Dr. Jordan Peterson?
Jordan Peterson is a Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology. He, first, gained worldwide fame for his controversial views on politics, gender, religion, and free speech. He was born on June 12, 1962, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and grew up in a small town in northern Alberta. Peterson studied at the University of Alberta, where he received his B.A. in Political Science in 1982 and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1991. He went on to teach at Harvard University and the University of Toronto, where he was a professor of psychology.
Dr. Peterson first gained notoriety for his outspoken opposition to Canadian legislation that he argued would require him to use gender-neutral pronouns. His stance on this issue led to a series of interviews and public debates that helped him gain a following of supporters who appreciated his defense of free speech and individual liberties. His views on gender have been particularly controversial since he argued that there are biological differences between men and women that contribute to gender roles and that some of the differences are innate.
Life-changing lectures of Jordan Peterson
However, Jordan Peterson had more to give to people than this controversial opinion. Since then, Peterson’s lectures on psychology, philosophy, and cultural issues gained a large following online, particularly on YouTube.
His lectures, which often focused on topics such as personal responsibility, the importance of tradition, and the psychological underpinnings of human behavior, resonated with many people who were looking for a more nuanced and sophisticated approach to these issues than they were finding in mainstream media and culture.
“A Star is Born”
As his popularity grew, Peterson became a frequent guest on television shows and podcasts, where he continued to promote his ideas and engage in discussions with other intellectuals and public figures.
He published a best-selling book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos which further cemented his reputation as a leading voice in contemporary culture. Most recently, he published another book Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, since 12 rules are not enough as he humorous says.
Overall, despite the controversy surrounding him, Peterson has a large following and is seen by many as a voice for free speech and individualism. His views have influenced a generation of young people who feel alienated by the political correctness of modern society.
Jordan Peterson is one of the most influential personas in the world. That’s why he has toured extensively around the world, giving lectures, speeches, and public appearances in a wide range of countries and cities.
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The Guest: Dr. Andrew Huberman
Andrew D. Huberman (Ph.D.) is an American neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Among other achievements, he’s made many contributions to brain development, brain plasticity, neural regeneration, and repair fields. His research has led to groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of neuroplasticity and vision science and has been published in numerous prestigious scientific journals. In addition, he was selected to receive the Cogan Award in 2017, which honors the researcher who has made the most important contributions to the study of vision.
In contrast with Jordan Peterson, Andrew Huberman never showed any political views. He didn’t gain fame from any controversial views on politics, religion, or gender pronouns, but with his ability to translate complex neuroscience concepts into practical tools for personal and professional growth.
One thing that sets Huberman apart is his ability to take complex scientific concepts and distill them into practical strategies that anyone can use to improve their mental and physical health.
He has developed several tools and techniques that can be used to regulate the nervous system, enhance cognitive function, and reduce stress and anxiety. And, this is exactly what he does through his podcast “Huberman Lab”.
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The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jordan Peterson has a popular podcast called “The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast”, where he discusses a wide range of topics with guests, including psychology, philosophy, politics, and culture.
This audio project began in 2017 and has since become one of the most popular podcasts on the internet. Peterson’s conversations with his guests are often lengthy and in-depth, and he encourages his guests to share their expertise and opinions freely.
The podcast has featured a variety of guests, including psychologists, philosophers, politicians, and cultural critics. Some of his most notable guests include Sam Harris, Bret Weinstein, Steven Pinker, Jonathan Haidt, and, of course, Dr. Andrew Huberman.
Peterson’s podcast has been praised by many for its insightful discussions and intellectual depth, while others have criticized it for promoting controversial views and ideologies. Nevertheless, the podcast continues to attract a large and dedicated audience.
Episode 296: Neuroscience Meets Psychology | Dr. Andrew Huberman
In this podcast, Andrew Huberman and Jordan Peterson discuss a variety of real-world phenomena from the perspectives of psychology and neuroscience.
The first topic the two experts discuss is the Autonomic Nervous System. They walk us through the three main types of body-to-brain signaling, parasympathetic/sympathetic systems, and how the body reports to conscious attention. Then they discuss the prefrontal cortex and the different emotional states and how both influence our future selves.
The discussion goes deeper and becomes way more interesting when the dopaminergic system arises. They are talking about this major reward system and the short and long-term effects of dopamine on the body. The best part, though, is how all these are connected with the effects of pornography!
11 Takeaways from “Neuroscience Meets Psychology”
- Affirmations and Neurology: Affirmations work because they align with how our neurology operates.
- Tidying for Productivity: Cleaning your workspace or making your bed before tackling a challenging task can boost energy, focus, and motivation.
- Autonomic Nervous System: It controls automatic bodily functions like digestion, urination, and heart rate.
- Body-to-Brain Signaling: The body communicates with the brain through heart rate, gut signals, and breath patterns.
- Prefrontal Cortex: This brain region regulates autonomic arousal, impacting anxiety and exploratory behavior.
- Depression and Anxiety: Depression and chronic anxiety can shift control away from the Prefrontal Cortex, leading to primitive responses.
- Future Selves: The Prefrontal Cortex generates potential future scenarios, allowing us to plan and evaluate actions.
- Dopaminergic System: Dopamine is linked to reward, anticipation, craving, motivation, and drive. It influences our response to outcomes and plays a role in addiction.
- Mania and Neuroticism: Manic individuals are overly anticipatory and positive, while unstable individuals become overly self-conscious and anxious.
- Exposure Therapy: Purposeful exposure to fears can quell anxiety responses by shifting focus outward.
- Neural Plasticity and Learning: Dopamine facilitates learning by increasing neural plasticity, making it easier to create lasting behavioral changes.
- Depletion and Renewal of Dopamine: Dopamine is depletable but renewable, and it self-amplifies through actions and goals.
- Hormonal Control: Dopamine influences the release of hormones like testosterone and estrogen, affecting motivation and cognitive appraisal.
- Effects of Pornography: Pornography can reinforce voyeuristic circuits and lead to addiction-like behaviors.
- Masturbation and Dopamine: Masturbation can deplete dopamine and lead to an unmotivated state.
These are our key takeaways from this podcast episode with Jordan Peterson and Andrew Huberman.
But you read enough!
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Watch on Youtube
Chapters
- 0:00 Coming Up
- 0:57 Intro
- 3:18 Where anxiety stems from
- 11:57 Flipping the autonomic response
- 23:10 Power of the prefrontal cortex
- 30:00 Accessing our alternate selves
- 36:25 When you stimulate the Insular cortex
- 42:08 The One True World Currency
- 46:38 Dopamine’s pleasure derives from anticipation
- 50:10 Depressive cascades
- 54:12 Assess errors by state, not trait
- 1:01:45 Dopamine chases outer stimuli
- 1:04:13 Can new stimuli rewrite our neural pathways?
- 1:09:27 Manifesting and the dopamine cycle
- 1:15:59 Adrenaline, micro-narratives
- 1:20:33 Sustained attention and reward
- 1:27:03 Zone of proximal development
- 1:32:23 Resisting the easy dopamine hit, avoiding addiction.
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