Welcome to the SCAN unit!
How do we understand others? What are the neural bases of our emotions? How is our social behavior shaped by the brain?
These are just some of the questions the SCAN-Unit (Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience Unit) has been investigating since its formation in 2010. We are a group of international researchers who combine psychological theory with cutting edge neuroscientific methodology to study the biological basis of human's social and emotional life.
Our special research focus lies on the neuroscience of empathy. We have made and continue to make essential contributions to our understanding of how people share the feelings of others and take their point of view. This research enterprise is complemented by research activities in the fields of decision making, moral behavior, and mental health.
Latest News
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Does lifetime stress make us distrustful? Not quite.
People who have experienced more stress over their lives initially trust strangers less. But a new University of Vienna study in PNAS shows that they do not become worse at judging others. If anything, they distinguish trustworthy and selfish people even more sharply. Rather than a breakdown of trust, the findings point to a recalibration of social expectations.
👉 Read the plain-language summary English Deutsch
👉 Read the open-access paper https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2608572123