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Blake, Wm. 'Christ in the Sepulchre, Guarded by Angels.' Great Britain. 1808.

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A new study reveals that empathy can be increased or decreased through social interactions, challenging the belief that it's a static trait.

Participants in experiments rated their empathetic feelings before and after observing others’ reactions to videos of painful experiences, demonstrating a significant change in empathy levels based on observed behaviors.

Brain scans revealed that the brain adjusts its empathy responses based on observed social cues, using reinforcement learning to strengthen or weaken empathy. This finding emphasizes the importance of the social environment in shaping emotional skills, highlighting that empathy can be cultivated or eroded over time, similar to physical muscles.

Neuroscientist: “Depending on whether empathic or non-empathic reactions were observed, empathy ratings increased or decreased. It is essential to understand that adults can learn or unlearn empathy through observation, even from individuals they do not know. Respect is the soil for empathy.”