Empathy

The article on empathy discusses how emotional empathy is developmental as well as evolutionary. Empathy ranges from feelings of concern for other people, experiencing emotions that match another individual, knowing what the other is thinking or feeling, and anything along the lines of having an understanding of the other individual’s feelings. The article discusses how humans are special in that they can feel empathetic concern for a wide range of others in need. Such as, donating money to the poor, helping out starving children in Africa, sending money or supplying donations to shelter’s providing for the needy. The article also states that those who are more securely attached to their mothers and are provided with care and nurture, will grow to be more empathetic to others; not only to their close relationship partners but also to non intimate people, whereas individuals who were evaluated as avoidant are less likely to forgive, and their relationship is mediated by lack of empathy. I can surely say that I have a great amount of empathy for others. When a friend is in need I am always there to help, I donate to the poor and always took part in food drives held at school. So I can definitely classify myself as someone who grew up to be securely attached and was provided with proper care and nature through my loving parents. The article continues to discuss various studies that have been done to test certain areas of the brain that are activated during certain situations of nurturing babies. There has been evidence which supports parental care to be addictive and includes elements of both dopamine and encephalin signaling, which are activations of the reward pathways. The article focuses on the growth of empathy in humans as we age and how it is a predisposed trait in us all.