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“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” -Herman Melville Connection.
“empathy,” the simple innate ability to “know what it’s like,” to actually understand. But what is it really? How does it work, and where does it come from?
The biological basis for empathy lies, like all emotions, in the brain. It might be more appropriate to substitute “synaptic” in lieu of “sympathetic” in Melville’s aforementioned quote, as empathy goes all the way down to the molecular level, generated by special brain cells nicknamed mirror neurons. These neurons were originally referred to as “monkey see, monkey do” neurons after their discovery by a team of researchers at the University of Parma, Italy.
by Matthew Garrett Via Edwin Rutsch 
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University of Toronto psychologist Keith Oatley presents data that seems to show that reading novels improves one’s ability to understand and empathize with others. He demonstrates using brain imaging, that the parts of the brain that are activated when reading stories are the same as those that we use in social interactions. So perhaps the next time you don’t see eye to eye with somebody, the two of you should dive into a good book.
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Given that lower-class individuals are more dependent on their social environments and on others than their upper-class counterparts, we might also expect that these individuals will exhibit more emotional contagion in interactions. Specifically, being constantly vigilant of others' emotions may make an individual prone to unintentionally experiencing the emotions of others.
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From the dawn of recorded history to the present day, humankind has struggled with its darker nature. Today, researchers around the world are uncovering the hidden forces that inflame our inner demons...looking for ways to isolate and neutralize the source of evil in the brain.
Via Edwin Rutsch
Claudio Cordovil's comment,
June 29, 2012 7:27 AM
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Sakis Koukouvis's comment,
June 29, 2012 10:13 AM
Thank you Claudio. It's more easy because I have found terrific curators here, in Scoop.it.
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Playing music in a group setting on a regular basis significantly improves children's ability to empathize with others and show compassion, according to new findings.
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Research from Goldsmiths, University of London suggests domestic dogs express empathic behaviour when confronted with humans in distress.
The study also found that the dogs responded to the person who was crying regardless of whether it was their owner or the unfamiliar person: "If the dogs' approaches during the crying condition were motivated by self-oriented comfort-seeking, they would be more likely to approach their usual source of comfort, their owner, rather than the stranger," said Jennifer. "No such preference was found. The dogs approached whoever was crying regardless of their identity. Thus they were responding to the person's emotion, not their own needs, which is suggestive of empathic-like comfort-offering behaviour. Via Edwin Rutsch
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Researchers have uncovered rare brain cells in monkeys, which can be tied to self-awareness and empathy in humans.
Max Planck scientists found that the anterior insular cortex is a small brain region that plays a crucial role in human self-awareness and in related neuropsychiatric disorders. An exclusive cell type – the Von Economo Neuron (VEN) – is located there. Via Edwin Rutsch
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Empathy has a profound ability to transform the way in which we resolve and understand conflicts. In order to better understand empathy and its impact on conflict resolution, this paper will first address conflict, then empathy, how the two relate to one another, and finally, the essential nature of empathy in conflict resolution.
More on EMPATHY: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=empathy
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From
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Individuals are willing to sacrifice their own resources to promote equality in groups. These costly choices promote equality and are associated with behavior that supports cooperation in humans, but little is known about the brain processes involved. We use functional MRI to study egalitarian preferences based on behavior observed in the “random income game.” NEUROSCIENCE: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=neuroscience
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Perhaps the depth and complexity of the human voice explains radio's unique power as a storytelling medium.
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At a time when politicians in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec are drafting anti-bullying legislation, teachers and principals are taking matters into their own hands and implementing school-based approaches like Preston High’s. Articles about BULLYING: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=bullying
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What makes people behave kindly? Is it the result of having been nurtured in an environment of love and kindness that makes you more likely to treat others the same way? Articles about PSYCHOLOGY: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=psychology
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Introspection is out, and outrospection is in. Philosopher and author Roman Krznaric explains how we can help drive social change by stepping outside ourselv...
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From an early age, humans seem to have genuine concern for the welfare of others.
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A study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience suggests that the use of compassion-based meditation -- a form of meditation that focuses on mindfulness in relationships -- improves people's ability to read others' expressions and act accordingly
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Studies of how rats and ants rescue other members of their species do not prove that animals other than humans have empathy, according to biologists.
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From
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"TED Talks Empathy, cooperation, fairness and reciprocity -- caring about the well-being of others seems like a very human trait."
In animals we have the opportunity to analyze a system of morality free from doctrine. Observation and research seem to be demonstrating that qualities such as empathy and fairness are not uniquely human. While humans and other species do have their distinct differences, how can we honor the dignity of species besides our own? Via Cindy Tam
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Looking at long-held owner beliefs, a study suggests that dogs comforted crying strangers in ways similar to human infants.
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If your partner is angry, you are likely to miss the fact that your partner might also be feeling sad.
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Two years ago, at a meeting on science and education, experts challenged video game manufacturers to develop games that emphasize kindness and compassion instead of violence and aggression.
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Social psychologist Gerben van Kleef of the University of Amsterdam is an expert in the social approach to emotion, which views emotion as occurring between rather than just within individuals. In his new (Dutch) book, Op het gevoel – Hoe we elkaar beïnvloeden met onze emoties, he shows how we constantly influence each other with our emotions, consciously and unconsciously, and why expressing emotions is essential for successful social relationships. EMOTIONS: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=emotions
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Yawn next to your dog, and she may do the same. Though it seems simple, this contagious behavior is actually quite remarkable: Only a few animals do it, and only dogs cross the species barrier. Now a new study finds that dogs yawn even when they only hear the sound of us yawning, the strongest evidence yet that canines may be able to empathize with us.
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"Hunched over our computers, communicating as disembodied blobs, we’re suffering a dearth of empathy transference. We’re little islands of one, free from the experience of stepping into another’s shoes, truly feeling what they’re feeling, and understanding where they’re coming from."
Articles about EMPATHY: http://www.scoop.it/t/science-news?tag=empathy
Via Edwin Rutsch
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A provocative new paper suggests people can take advantage of the brain’s neuroplasticity to train it to be more empathetic, appreciative and compassionate.
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