Naomi EisenbergerView profile
Professor
Dr. Naomi Eisenberger is a Professor in the Social Psychology program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she directs the Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory and co-directs the Social Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory. Her pioneering research investigates the neural foundations of social experiences , specifically examining whether 'social pain' from rejection utilizes the same neural pathways as physical pain, and whether 'social pleasure' from connection engages reward-processing systems including opioid substrates. Using neuroimaging techniques, her work reveals how fundamental neural systems promote social bonding and survival. Dr. Eisenberger's findings bridge psychology and neuroscience, demonstrating the profound biological basis of human social connection. She has presented her research at major academic institutions including the University of British Columbia, where she delivered a colloquium in December 2015 on 'Social pain and pleasure: The social neuroscience of rejection and connection,' highlighting how social experiences are deeply embedded in our neural architecture.







