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Empathy is associated with dynamic change in prefrontal brain electrical activity during positive emotion in children
Child development
Format: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2009
Pages: 1210-1231
Sources ID: 23161
Visibility: Private
Zotero Collections: Contexts of Contemplation Project
Abstract: (Show)

Empathy is the combined ability to interpret the emotional states of others and experience resultant, related emotions. The relation between prefrontal electroencephalographic asymmetry and emotion in infants and children is well known. The relationship between positive emotion (assessed via parent-report), empathy (measured via observation) and second-by-second brain electrical activity (recorded during a pleasurable task) was investigated using a sample of 128 six to ten year olds. Contentment predicted increasing left-sided frontopolar activation (p<.05). Empathic concern and one form of positive empathy predicted increasing right-sided frontopolar activation (ps<.05). A second form of positive empathy predicted increasing left-sided dorsolateral activation (p<.05). This suggests that positive emotion and (negative and positive) empathy predict changes in prefrontal activity in children during a pleasurable task.

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Contexts of Contemplation Project