The world is full of many kinds of people. Among other things, they are distinguished by their appearance and personality traits. But one of the characteristics that stand out the most is the amount of kindness and compassion that they show for one another. Some people seem to go about their lives with no consideration for the feelings of other people. Then there are a smaller group who are willing to risk their lives to ensure that even the most selfish people aren't hurt. The difference in these two groups of people lies in their levels of empathy.
Empathy is an important state of mind to understand because it is something that all humans share. It refers to the ability to relate to the suffering of another living being as if it is your …show more content…
Usually, researchers prefer to do studies on rats because they are intelligent and easy to breed. But monkeys have a similar DNA sequence and many behavioral patterns like humans, so researchers chose to study them in regards to empathy instead. Monkeys also have many facial expressions that mimic human-like emotions, which makes it easier to tell what they are feeling. And rats don't have this. The reason that animal research was necessary for understanding how empathy works is that it requires the installation of electrodes into the brain, and laws forbid this type of testing on humans. The following is some of the information that was gathered that is being applied to humans …show more content…
It also makes men protective of their families, so they guard them against dangers. Empathy increases the likeliness of working together to bring in food and create better housing too.
The Causes of Empathy
The reason for empathy is due to a group of cells called mirror neurons. They were only just discovered in the 1990's, so more information about them is still needed. But what researchers know so far is that their main job is basically to catch and reflect back the feelings of other living beings. So in other words, if one person is injured, another would feel bad for them even though the pain wasn't their own.
Empathy is also a learned trait. People and animals can be taught to react to situations with care and concern. This is called “cognitive empathy” because it isn't a physiological response though. But some people are never taught this trait, so they struggle with comprehending the needs and emotions of others. Those who grow up in abusive homes with no love or affection tend to be less empathetic unless they are taught this trait by other outside sources. The Variations in Levels of
Empathy is an important state of mind to understand because it is something that all humans share. It refers to the ability to relate to the suffering of another living being as if it is your …show more content…
Usually, researchers prefer to do studies on rats because they are intelligent and easy to breed. But monkeys have a similar DNA sequence and many behavioral patterns like humans, so researchers chose to study them in regards to empathy instead. Monkeys also have many facial expressions that mimic human-like emotions, which makes it easier to tell what they are feeling. And rats don't have this. The reason that animal research was necessary for understanding how empathy works is that it requires the installation of electrodes into the brain, and laws forbid this type of testing on humans. The following is some of the information that was gathered that is being applied to humans …show more content…
It also makes men protective of their families, so they guard them against dangers. Empathy increases the likeliness of working together to bring in food and create better housing too.
The Causes of Empathy
The reason for empathy is due to a group of cells called mirror neurons. They were only just discovered in the 1990's, so more information about them is still needed. But what researchers know so far is that their main job is basically to catch and reflect back the feelings of other living beings. So in other words, if one person is injured, another would feel bad for them even though the pain wasn't their own.
Empathy is also a learned trait. People and animals can be taught to react to situations with care and concern. This is called “cognitive empathy” because it isn't a physiological response though. But some people are never taught this trait, so they struggle with comprehending the needs and emotions of others. Those who grow up in abusive homes with no love or affection tend to be less empathetic unless they are taught this trait by other outside sources. The Variations in Levels of