To be successful social primates, humans must be able to recognize individual conspecifics and rapidly intuit their intentions, goals, and emotional states. Modern neuroscience methods have identified brain systems that appear to be specialized for different aspects of social behavior. Recent studies in humans will be described that used neuroimaging, electrophysiological recordings from subdural electrodes, and cortical stimulation to characterize brain systems engaged during an observer’s perception of faces, bodies, emotional expressions, and movements of others, and by the attribution of intention to another’s actions. These brain systems represent key components of the social brain.