Human beings are social beings. The tendency to behave, talk and walk like others is what we call conformity, which has been documented in various studies. Continue reading
Posted in Behaviors, Empathy, Motivation, Personality Psychology, Self-help, Social Psychology
Tagged antisocial, empathy, generousity, prosocial, research, study
New research shows that we are more likely to imitate the behaviors of an attractive person, which reflects the tendency to empathize more with attractive others.
Posted in Empathy
A brain study by Beckes and colleagues (2013) shows how familiarity increases empathy, making the boundary between self and other less clear.
The researchers used a fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) technique to examine the participants’ brain activities in the areas that are thought to be involved in responses to threat. Continue reading
Posted in Clinical Psychology, Empathy, Personality Psychology, Psychology
It is often observed that power can change people. But why is that? A new study by Hogeveen and colleagues (2013) examined this. In short, the study shows that power changes how the brain operates at a very fundamental level. It seems to change the neurological basis for empathy. Continue reading
Posted in Empathy
Would you help someone in need, and for what reasons?
What is altruism? Altruism is the exact opposite of egoism. It is the selfless, spontaneous, and costly act of giving or helping another individual who shows distress from being in pain or in need, without the expectation of getting something in return. Continue reading
My name is Simon Moesgaard, a psychologist from Denmark, and this is my blog about psychology.
