Studio Guest:Dr. Monika Keller of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin>>

DW-TV That biggest difference therefore seems to be that humans are only better at working together and learning from one another. An expert from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development is here to tell us more — a very warm welcome to Monika Keller. Thank you for joining us here today. Can you first of all explain a little bit more about what this social intelligence is? Monika Keller: Well, social intelligence is the unique human capability to orient towards others and to take others' behavior into account and to get access to the inner world of others, to the psychological world of others. Well, it is the key difference between human beings and primates. Is it literally, though, the foundation that our society is built on? It is definitely the foundation for our society. There would be no society or culture in the way as we are used to if we didn’t have this capability and there is much more to it than imitation. This was only the basic roots that we're shown in this little film. But it goes on and children acquire much more understanding of others. Do you continue to acquire social intelligence as you get older or does is stop at some point? MK: Oh, absolutely. I mean, first you really develop it during your childhood, the ability to understand others' perspective and to get access to others' inner feelings and to know that others look at you in a certain way and that they take your behavior into account and make a picture of yourself and this goes on until adolescence, at least, where certain concepts are formed. But it also goes on in adulthood, because the way you live and the experiences you have, the social experiences you have, they all form your social intelligence and your understanding. And we do try to raise our children to behave in socially acceptable ways but, at least in the professional world, it does sometimes seem that the people who break those rules are the ones that get farther faster. Why is that? ...

Channel: Deutsche Welle Video Length: 3m 35s Date Found: Mon, Aug 23 2010 4:13 PM Category: Science Date Produced: View Count: 0