empathy

The paper on Phylogenic and ontogenetic perspectives on empathy goes into depth about how the emotion empathy is developmental and evolutionary. Bringing together neuroevolutionary with developmental perspectives to find out how the mechanics come together when dealing with emotions. Empathy is an emotional state or condition that comes as a response for a given situation. Basically, an emotional response. This scientists say, comes, as empathy is an adapted function. This ability drives what humans do, as it is a response mechanism. For instance, if we see a friend crying, or initial response is to help them cope, that is to be empathetic and caring. Without realizing it. Just as mammals develop parenting behavior, they also develop emotions such as separation, pain, love distress etc. those emotions we form arbitrarily. We continue to have kept these emotions as they have rewards. Parental nurturing has its rewards says the article in which parents seek out thus creating a cycle of empathy where care is shown and happiness and love is rewarded.

Infants use attachment as a form of survival. This is another trait humans are biologically predisposed to. Studies show the more attached an infant is, the more empathetic he or she will be towards others. Whereas children who are not exposed to this type of care can result in sociemotional difficulties.

This essay goes over how empathy is a predisposed trait humans are exposed to. This essay is interesting in that, it suggests that if they can figure out the neurobiological underpinnings of sociemotional difficulties they can try to find interventions. I did not realize how many ties empathy had as far as development is concerned.