Episode 2: The Neuroscience of Human Relationships – Part 2 /The Power of Love episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 11, 2026 · 31 MIN

Episode 2: The Neuroscience of Human Relationships – Part 2 /The Power of Love

from America's Why Project · host Matthew Levinger

Last week, Dr. David Rock showed us how fear hijacks the brain. This week, he flips the script by diving into the power of love. Host Matt Levinger and Dr. Rock looks into the high-reward states that unlock people’s capacity to care, create, and collaborate despite the presence of stress and social tension in our day-to-day lives. Through tiny shifts in status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness, our minds can find calm and focus. From defusing conflict at work to rebuilding trust in our political life, this episode offers a practical, science‑backed roadmap for working together when everything feels divided. Host: Matthew Levinger – Host of the America’s Why Podcast and Professor of Practice of International Affairs at the George Washington University.Guest: David Rock – Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute​*SCARF is an acronym of the words "Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, & Fairness."​​Dr. David Rock is the Co-founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute, which has partnered with more than 2/3 of the Fortune 100 corporations. With operations in 24 countries, the institute brings neuroscientists and leadership experts together to make organizations better for humans through science. David has written for and been quoted in hundreds of articles about leadership, organizational effectiveness, and the brain. He is the author of three books: Your Brain at Work, Coaching with the Brain in Mind, and Quiet Leadership: Six Steps to Transforming Performance at Work. Originally from Australia, David has been based in the United States since 2010.  Learn more about the NeuroLeadership Institute's mission, research, and global impact at: https://www.neuroleadership.com/Visit our website to learn more about the America’s Why Project and join the conversation: americaswhyproject.comListen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon MusicThe views expressed in the podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those held by the America's Why Project team or the George Washington University. 

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 11, 2026

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Last week, Dr. David Rock showed us how fear hijacks the brain. This week, he flips the script by diving into the power of love. Host Matt Levinger and Dr. Rock looks into the high-reward states that unlock people’s capacity to care, create, and collaborate despite the presence of stress and social tension in our day-to-day lives. Through tiny shifts in status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness, our minds can find calm and focus. From defusing conflict at work to rebuilding trust...

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Episode 2: The Neuroscience of Human Relationships – Part 2 /The Power of Love

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