Social connectedness and creativity: Two mutually influencing processes that promote human evolution

This chapter proposes that social evolution was due to a special human capacity to acknowledge and value the humanity in one another for its own sake, and not just as a means to an end. Such an attitude is rooted in the natural capacity and inclination to be broadly connected emotionally with others through empathy that is especially manifesting when others suffer. These predispositions lie at the foundation of socially intelligent behavior and mutually satisfying relationships. Others spontaneous response to collaborate in kind to initial gestures of solidarity completes the circle to promote social evolution and advances in the civilizations' development or renewal. The findings that are presented in this chapter illustrate the link between social attitudes and socially intelligent interactions on one hand, and cognitive abilities on the other along with the consequences when humanity of others is ignored or denied. Based on this review, we propose five principles that may serve to guide the development of interventions for advancing the humanistic agenda for our society in order to prevent anti-social behavior (that would result in crisis and jeopardize our evolutionary progress) and to promote people's solidarity facilitating renewal after crisis.