The Biological Bases of Empathy

Human beings are intrinsically social. Our survival critically depends on social interactions with others, the formation of alliances and accurate social judgments (Cacioppo, 2002). We are motivated to form and maintain positive and significant relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995), and most of our actions are directed toward or are responses to others (Batson, 1990). No single factor can account for human social cognitive evolution (e.g., diet and climate), but the single most important factor is the increasing complexity of hominid social groups (Bjorlund & Bering, 2003). It is therefore logical that dedicated mechanisms have evolved to perceive, understand, predict and respond to the internal states (subjective in nature) of other individuals.