Patricia Barchas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia R. Barchas
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| Born | 1934 |
| Died | 1993 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; USA |
| Known for | Sociophysiology; Social Neuroscience |
| Awards | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Anthropology; Social neuroscience |
| Institutions | Stanford University (professor) |
Patricia Barchas (1934-1993) was an American scientist. She studied how our social actions affect our bodies. She was a pioneer in looking at how brain activity and hormones work. This included how groups form leaders or "status hierarchies."
About Patricia Barchas
Patricia Barchas was a leader in a field called sociophysiology. This field studies how social actions affect the brain. She is also seen as one of the founders of social neuroscience. This area explores how our brains and bodies work together. It looks at how they influence our social behavior.
Dr. Barchas was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma. She grew up in Los Angeles. She earned her first degree in English and History in 1956. This was from Pomona College. Later, she got her master's degree in education. This was from the University of Chicago.
In 1971, she earned her doctorate in sociology at Stanford University. She also spent many years studying the brain and hormones. While at Pomona, she met her future husband, Jack Barchas. He was a psychiatrist at Stanford.
Early in her career, Dr. Barchas taught children. These were children who had emotional challenges. Later, she joined the faculty at Stanford. She also worked in the Department of Psychiatry. There, she led a program on sociophysiology. Most recently, she worked at the University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine.
Her Discoveries
Patricia Barchas showed that humans and some animals form social groups in similar ways. She found that groups of human females and males solve problems differently. Females tended to agree more when working together.
Barchas also helped write important reports for the government. One report was about aggression and violence. Another report was about mental health issues. She also wrote books. These included Social Cohesion, Social Hierarchies, and Sociophysiology.
Patricia R. Barchas Award
An award was created to honor Patricia R. Barchas. It is called the Patricia R. Barchas Award in Sociophysiology. This award was set up by her family. It is given through the American Psychosomatic Society.
The award celebrates people who have made big contributions. It honors those who study how social behavior affects the body. This research can be about humans or animals.
Her Books
- Barchas, P. R. 1984. Social hierarchies. London: Greenwood Press.
- Barchas, P. R. 1984. Social Cohesion: Essays Toward A Sociophysiological Perspective. London: Greenwood Press.
