Empathy and the generosity it sparks are essential human traits. Although scientists have investigated these behaviors in depth, the neural mechanisms beneath them are still not fully understood. Breaking research gives new clues.
Being generous involves an understanding of the other person’s needs; this takes empathy – an ability to put one’s self in another’s shoes. Showing empathy and acting upon it is an essential part of being human.
Recently, researchers from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom decided to add to the current understanding of so-called prosocial behaviors and investigate the neurological origin of empathy and generosity.
by Tim Newman
