Decreased communication between emotional and executive centers may contribute
Finding a breakdown in vmPFC connections was particularly intriguing to Koenigs. Neurologists have long observed that after damage to this area, people can take on personality traits that are reminiscent of psychopathy, including diminished empathy and irresponsible behavior. The results offer direct evidence that the link between the vmPFC and the amygdala is compromised in psychopaths.
New research from neuroscientists at Stanford University suggests that a child’s empathy can be linked to her or his math skills. When young children — aged 7 to 12 — ranked higher on a questionnaire that evaluated their empathetic di…
Bullying at schools has become a huge issue. In looking for innovative solutions, Canadian educators turned to a unique classroom program called Roots of Empathy. At the heart of the program, now being implemented in 1,400 schools, lies this insight: W…
What is Self-Compassion?Having compassion for yourself is pretty much the same as having compassion for someone else. To have compassion means that you notice that a person is suffering, and not turn away.It also means that you let yourself be moved by…
Is there a master switch for changing human behavior? Something that boosts our empathy and morality and makes us less likely to do hurtful things? In his book “The Morality Molecule: How Trust Works,” Zak writes about oxytocin, the “lo…
