With the present thesis I investigated whether and how empathy for pain is effected by social cues. Empathy is a critical function regulating human social life and, specifically empathy for pain is a source of deep emotional feelings and a strong trigger of pro-social behavior. I investigated the existence of a racial and religion bias in the emotional reaction to other people’s pain. Measuring participants’ physiological arousal and functional brain activations, I found that Caucasian observers reacted to pain suffered by African people significantly less than to pain of Caucasian people. The reduced reaction to the pain of African individuals was also correlated with the observers’ individual implicit race bias. Religion did not seem to affect empathy for other people pain. My thesis pointed out that other people’s race is a crucial clue for understanding to what extent empathy for pain, social interactions, and possibly integration, may be influenced by deeply rooted automatic and uncontrollable responses.
(2011). The neuropsychology of empathy for pain: how social differences affect the empathic brain.. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2011).
Autori: | |
Tutore: | GALLUCCI, MARCELLO |
Data di pubblicazione: | 31-gen-2011 |
Titolo: | The neuropsychology of empathy for pain: how social differences affect the empathic brain. |
Settore Scientifico Disciplinare: | M-PSI/03 - PSICOMETRIA |
Lingua: | English |
Scuola di dottorato: | Scuola di Dottorato in Psicologia e Scienze Cognitive |
Corso di dottorato: | PSICOLOGIA SPERIMENTALE, LINGUISTICA E NEUROSCIENZE COGNITIVE - 52R |
Ciclo: | 22 |
Anno Accademico: | 2009/2010 |
Citazione: | (2011). The neuropsychology of empathy for pain: how social differences affect the empathic brain.. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2011). |
Parole Chiave: | Empathy, pain, race, racism, SCR, fMRI |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 07 - Tesi di dottorato Bicocca post 2009 |
File in questo prodotto:
File | Descrizione | Tipologia | Licenza | |
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Phd_unimib_030426.pdf | Doctoral thesis | Open Access Visualizza/Apri |