Emotion, Autism and Empathy | Neuroscientists Chris and Uta Frith

This is part 3 of a How To Academy talk.

Leading neuroscientists Chris and Uta Frith have pioneered major studies of brain disorders throughout their nearly fifty-year career. In conversation with Robin Ince, they examine the way that neuroscientific research is now focused on the fact we are a social species, whose brains have evolved to work cooperatively. What happens when people gather in groups? Is it better to surround yourself with people who are similar to yourself, or different?

Uta Frith, an expert of both autism and dyslexia, has been ranked one of the most eminent research psychologists of the modern era and currently serves as the President of the British Science Association.

Christopher Frith, psychologist and professor emeritus at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, has been ranked among the ten most influential brain scientists of the modern era. He is a pioneer in the use of brain imaging, and was a senior member of the team that discovered enlargement of the hippocampus in the brains of London taxi drivers.

Robin Ince is the co-presenter of Radio 4’s multiple award winning The Infinite Monkey Cage. He spent 2019 appearing across the world in the Universal tour with Brian Cox – travelling from LA to Oslo, Wellington to Aberdeen and ending up in Reykjavik after shows at the 02 and Wembley Arena. Robin co-wrote How to Build a Universe (part 1) with Brian Cox and his most recent book is I’m a Joke and So Are You, a book about why we become who we become and how we deal with it. He has spoken at TED and TEDx, has featured on BBC Radio 4 and Richard Herring’s podcasts on topics as far reaching as Creationism and Wonder, to Ricky Gervais and Chaos, and is the founder of The Cosmic Shambles Network.