A new study carried out at the University of Haifa has found that the hormone oxytocin, the “love hormone”, which affects behaviors such as trust, empathy and generosity, also affects opposite behaviors, such as jealousy and gloating. “Subsequent to these findings, we assume that the hormone is an overall trigger for social sentiments: when the [...]

Examples of poor care in the NHS are ‘completely unacceptable’, but they must not be allowed to overshadow the vast majority of good quality healthcare given to millions of patients everyday. Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) responded as the Patients Association published a report on patients’ experiences in [...]

Why do we feel tears well up when we see a loved one cry? Why do we wince when we see other people hurt themselves? Here we review evidence that when people observe the actions and tactile sensations of others they activate brain regions that are also active when they perform similar movements and feel [...]

New research from Vanderbilt University indicates the way our brain handles how we move through space – including being able to imagine literally stepping into someone else’s shoes – may be related to how and why we experience empathy toward others.

Seeing others in pain can automatically engage the brain’s empathy systems even if we are not paying attention, according to new research from Mount Sinai School of Medicine presented at the Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping. The investigators showed people images of hands and feet in painful or non-painful situations while [...]