Summary: The empathic brain: how, when and why? - De Vignemont & Singer - 2006 - Article

Evidence has been found that we have shared affective neuronal networks that are the basis for our capacity for empathy. There is overlapping brain activation when our own emotions are felt and when we perceive emotions in others. This means that these neuronal networks make us feel the emotions of others as if they were our own emotions. This states that the networks are automatically activate. The question is whether we automatically activate empathy if we observe someone else's emotions.

The shared network hypothesis

The current study states that there is empathy if: someone is in an affective state; this state is isomorphic for the state of another; this state is provoked by the perception of the affective state of another; one is aware that the source is the other's own affective state. Research shows that observing the emotional state of another part of the neuronal network activates the processing of that same state within itself.

Shared circuits are thought to be formed by associative learning or Hebbic learning mechanisms. They are the result of co-activated neurons. But is empathy (always) automatic?

Neural networks are not only activated when we see loved ones with pain, but also strangers. This says that we are always automatically empathized with others when we are exposed to their emotions, regardless of who it is. Empathy appears to be not only the result of passive observation of emotional signals, but it depends on contextual assessment and modulation.

Modulation of the empathic brain

Singer states that modulation is a function of the affective link between the empathizer and the person with pain. In his research, empathy-related activation in the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula was observed when an honest, sympathetic player was in pain that the test subjects should look at. Men, however, showed an absence of empathetic activity in an unfair player with pain and an increase in areas associated with reward.

The contextual approach

The current study states that empathy is modulated by assessment processes. Empathy can be modulated voluntarily and empathy can be modulated by implicit assessment processes. There are four categories of modulating factors:

Intrinsic characteristics: intensity, salinity and valence of the emotion can have a major influence on the intensity of the empathizer's empathic response.
Relationship between empathizer and target: similarity, familiarity, how much protection or care the goal needs and whether emotion is aimed at the empathizer.
Characteristics of the empathizer: gender, personality, age and past experiences of the empathizer.
Situative context: empathy can change if the empathizer is confronted with more goals if the goals express different emotions.

When does modulation take place?

Do assessment processes take place before or during an empathetic response? There are two possible routes. The late assessment model states that the empathetic response is directly and automatically triggered by the perception of an emotional cue. The early assessment model states that the empathetic response is not directly and automatically triggered by the perception of an emotional cue.

Why do we have empathy?

Why has evolution selected empathy? And what is the role of empathy? According to some, empathy is there for mother-child bonding or mutual altruism. Shared emotional representations may have evolved as a by-product of general associative learning mechanisms.

Then the second question. Empathy has two major benefits. Empathy provides a more accurate and direct estimate of the future actions of other people, because shared emotional networks directly trigger the activation of corresponding relevant motivation and action systems. Secondly, empathy is an efficient calculation tool for acquiring knowledge about the values of the world around us.

Social role

People with empathy deficits are more likely to display aggressive behavior. Does this mean that empathy is needed for prosocial behavior and morality? Empathy has a strong motivating role, but it is likely that this is not the only possible motivation for collaboration and prosocial behavior. But if empathy is not a necessary condition, is it enough to induce prosocial behavior? Empathy itself is not enough to cause prosocial behavior, but empathy must be turned into sympathy to motivate help.