What is the biological process behind feeling empathy? – to study
The study, led by Dr. Inbal Ben Ami Bartal of TAU in collaboration with University of California Professor Daniela Kaufer of Berkeley and published in eLife, investigated the process inside a rat’s brain during distress situations.
The researchers found that rats, just like humans, are divided into different groups and only express empathy with members of their group, but do not help rats in other groups.
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A rat, when in the presence of a trapped friend in its group, will engage with the brain’s reward system trying to help the other escape.
However, when the trapped rat is of another unknown breed, the rats do not help it and the brain’s reward system does not activate.
Dr Inbal Ben Ami Bartal from the School of Psychological Sciences and the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University. (credit: courtesy Tel Aviv University)
“This research shows that the reward system has an important function in supporting behavior and if we are to increase the likelihood of pro-social behavior, we need to reinforce a sense of belonging rather than a sense of empathy. “said Dr Ben Ami Bartal. .
