Reducing activity in the anterior cingulate decreases empathetic responses in rats. The data suggests an observer shares the emotions of others as it enables them to prepare for danger. Read More
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Brain imaging studies shed new light on social behaviors such as empathy and team flow. The findings provide new understanding of the neural basis of social behaviors and conditions involving social dysfunction. Read More
Extroverts perform significantly better at facial recognition tasks than introverts. Read More
A new study challenges the existing theory that testosterone levels are linked to reduced cognitive empathy. Read More
A positive correlation has been identified between prosocial and rebellious behaviors in teens. The more risk taking behaviors a teen exhibited, the more likely they were to act prosocially. The findings suggest the same developmental processes are at work for both types of behaviors. Also noted was faster brain development in the medial prefrontal cortex predicted a decrease in rebellious behavior. Read More
Children as young as 6 months can show empathy for victims. The findings debunk the theory that the ability to empathize only develops after one year of age. Read More
Non-binary and transgender people have a higher risk of autism, a new study reports. The risk is significantly higher for those who were assigned the female gender at birth. Read More
Antidepressants for major depressive disorder reduce the aversive response triggered by exposure to the suffering of others. Findings suggest antidepressants may lead to impaired empathy of pain perception. Read More
Findings provide new evidence that autism is linked to lower empathy in the general population, and atypical empathy in ASD is not simply due to alexithymia, or emotional blindness. Researchers stress that the lack of empathy may not always be a negative quality. Read More
Neuroscientists draw the conclusion Mona Lisa's famous enigmatic smile isn's a genuine smile at all. Read More
Neuroimaging reveals people experience a diminished neural response in the anterior cingulate cortex when shown images of others with facial disfigurements. A similar response is also seen when people view other stigmatized people, such as those who are homeless. The diminished activity may explain why people are less empathetic toward those who have facial disfigurements and may help explain the underlying neural mechanism for dehumanization. Read More
Many people who experience traumatic brain injury report a loss of empathy following their injury. Researchers consider how to reconnect those who have a TBI with their feelings of empathy and emotional recognition. Read More
