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empathy

·December 1, 2023·4 min read

How Imagination Fuels Empathy and Prosocial Behavior

A new study highlights the significant role of imagination in evoking empathy and driving prosocial behavior. While empathy is multifaceted, this research focuses on two aspects: personal distress and compassionate concern. The study reveals that vividly imagining someone else's problems increases personal distress, motivating individuals to offer help.

This shows people looking at a statue of a head.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 16, 2023·4 min read

How Others’ Perspectives Shape Our Thoughts

Researchers explored the subtle influence of others' perspectives on human thinking. In a study involving 234 participants, they used blindfolds to examine whether people process the viewpoint of others spontaneously or if it depends on effort.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 8, 2023·1 min read

Cannabis Use Linked to Enhanced Empathy

A new study suggests regular cannabis users may have a heightened ability to understand others' emotions. Psychological assessments coupled with brain imaging revealed that users show stronger connectivity in brain regions associated with empathy.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 9, 2023·6 min read

Early Parental Bonds Shape Future Empathy

A new study links early parental bonding with children’s future prosocial behavior, exhibiting kindness and empathy. Utilizing data from over 10,000 people born from 2000-2002, the study illustrates the long-term interplay of early relationships, mental health, and prosociality.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 24, 2023·6 min read

Schadenfreude or Sympathy? Exploring Public Sentiments on Anti-vaxxers’ COVID-19 Fate

A new study reveals that public reactions to the deaths of anti-vaxxers due to COVID-19 are multifaceted. The study found that while very few people celebrated these deaths, some individuals, primarily vaccinated individuals, considered anti-vaxxers who contracted COVID-19 deserving of their fate.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 1, 2023·5 min read

Empathy’s Influence on Drinking Patterns

A recent study reports a surprising correlation between daily affective empathy and alcohol consumption. The study found that on days when people experienced higher levels of affective empathy (empathy based on shared emotional experiences) than usual, they tended to consume more alcohol.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 10, 2023·4 min read

Empathy Unleashed: AI’s Personal Disclosures Boost User Acceptance

When artificial intelligence (AI) agents disclose personal information, it can boost users' empathy towards them, thus increasing acceptance of AI technologies.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 23, 2023·3 min read

Oxytocin Plays a Role in the Most Basic Form of Empathy

Study reveals how the "love hormone" oxytocin plays a critical role in the formation of emotional contagion.

This is a drawing of a man holding a heart and a brain

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 6, 2023·6 min read

Juggling Morality While We Learn

Study reveals how the brain juggles morally conflicting outcomes while learning, finding people who opt to make decisions for personal gain at the expense of others can comprehend and empathize with potential negative outcomes, but still ultimately choose to pursue options that benefit them.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 16, 2023·3 min read

What Drives Children to Choose Compassion?

Children constantly assist others every time they need help if there is no personal cost to helping, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 26, 2022·4 min read

Females on Average Perform Better Than Males on a ‘Theory of Mind’ Test Across 57 Countries

A new study of over 300,000 people that spans 57 countries reveals women are, on average, more empathetic than males. Consistent across all age groups and most nationalities, women tend to score higher on tests of cognitive empathy, or "theory of mind" than males.