Hasson argues that his research shows communication is really “a single act performed by two brains.” He believes that all brains naturally couple with the outside world, reacting to whatever stimuli we’re bombarded with. What makes humans different is our ability to couple without stimuli, according to Hasson. For example, if you show two monkeys a banana, their brains would likely react the same way, and the same goes for humans. However, if someone says the word banana to you, both you and the speaker would understand that you’re referring to the oblong, yellow fruit despite it not being physically present. This is something not all animals can achieve, which is why it’s so exciting for researchers like Hasson.
