empathy
Altruism: Myth or Reality?
We humans devote much time and energy to helping others. We send money to famine victims halfway around the world—or to save whales. We stay up all night to comfort a friend with a broken relationship. We stop on a busy highway to help a stranded motorist change a flat tire. Why do we do these
On Mirror Neurons or Why it is Okay to be a Couch Potato
Have you ever wondered why, when you see someone stretch out and yawn, suddenly, you start to feel drowsy and feel the urge to do the same? Or how about the tendency of people to copy each other’s postures? In social psychology this phenomenon is called postural mirroring. All this mimicking is the
Taking One for the Team, Even on Your Way Out of the Door
Kaitlyn works Monday through Friday, 9-5. Sitting at her desk on Friday afternoon, Kaitlyn glances at the clock. It is 4:30 pm. The end of the workweek is a mere 30 minutes away. Visions of a relaxing weekend begin to creep in. And then, the phone rings. A distraught coworker is calling to ask for a
Viral and harmful: Violence in media and its impact on empathy
From fight videos on TikTok to hate comments on Instagram, violence is omnipresent online, but what does it do to our empathy ? Studies reveal that repeated exposure to digital aggression can reduce our ability to feel concern or discomfort when witnessing others' pain, especially in teens. Yet
Why do people help strangers when disaster strikes?
- written by
- Theresa DiDonato
Marc Fucarile, a 34-year old native of Stoneham MA, lost his right leg, nearly lost his left, was peppered with shrapnel, and suffered severe burns when the second bomb exploded at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Shortly thereafter, from his hospital bed, Marc described his situation saying, “There’s more...
Authored on