Part I Differentiation-Integration Dynamics: Ultimate Causes -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Purposeless Design -- Chapter 3: Darwinian Evolutionary Theory -- Chapter 4: Principles of Differentiation and Integration -- Chapter 5: The Information Trend in Science -- Chapter 6: Is Social Cohesion a Different Mechanism of Evolution? -- Part II Roots and Mechanisms: Proximate Causes -- Chapter 7: Fundamental Physical Forces, Genes, and Epigenetics -- Chapter 8: Biological Origins -- Chapter 9: Neural Mechanisms of Sociality -- Chapter 10: Psychological Features -- Chapter 11: Cognitive Science Underpinnings -- Chapter 12: A Sociological Systems Theory -- Chapter 13: Developmental Roots -- Chapter 14: Metaphysical, Religious, and Spiritual Aspects -- Part III Survival Value -- Chapter 15: Sociality's Survival Value -- Part IV Conclusions -- Chapter 16: A New Framework: A Theory of Integration.

This book is an exploration of the integration-differentiation dynamics that result in a drive, or impulse, toward human sociality, arguing that our need to connect with other people is as fundamental as our need for food and shelter. In The Social Impulse: The Evolution and Neuroscience of What Brings Us Together, Jaime Pineda presents the evidence that social cohesion is a complementary force to natural selection, the Darwinian drive for differentiation and diversity. The book addresses the distinctive aspects of social behavior that arise from integration principles and seeks to answer the following questions: (1) Why does social cohesion arise? (2) What is the history of social dynamics? (3) How does social cohesion work? (4) When do the developmental aspects of social dynamics arise? A final section of the book addresses the value of sociality and social cohesion. By exploring the differences, similarities, and, most important, the interactivity between natural selection and social cohesion, this unique book provides a wealth of interesting, challenging, and unexpected insights.