Innovators in
Cognitive Neuroscience

Martha Farah

University of Pennsylvania

September 29, 2021, 12:00 PM ET

Charitable cause:
NARAL Pro-Choice America

Title:
Putting neuroscience to work to reduce the harms of poverty

Abstract:
Is SES neuroscience the pipedream of neuroscientists who want to feel useful and who underestimate the complexity of poverty and its effects? Or is it a promising new approach to understanding a refractory social problem, which could lead to new solutions? In this talk I will use research from my own lab and others’ to argue that SES neuroscience is not a pipedream. For balance, I will highlight some of the interesting and non-obvious findings of SES neuroscience, as well as some challenges to scientific validity in this field and to the applicability of the science. Finally, I will attempt to forecast the ways in which practical solutions to the problems of poverty may emerge from SES neuroscience.

American Sign language (ASL) interpretation and
closed captioning will be provided.