The goal of this ground-breaking volume is to present how neuroscience research is relevant to sociologists and social psychologists as well as examining those areas of neuroscience that can refine and broaden sociological theory. The study of the brain and its effect on behavior grew to prominence in the mid-20th century. Neuroscientists and psychologists worked together in this area in the behavioral sciences but neuroscience has not had a big impact in sociology and the social sciences. Recently, neuroscientists have presented new research which has a direct impact on many areas of sociology. These include the human "self," the social nature of mind, socialization and language acquisition, role-taking and role-making, consciousness, intersubjectivity, a balanced social constructionism, human agency and the necessity of emotion for rational decision making. These are only some of the areas of sociology which and to which they have contributed important refinements.