SFUNews
Psych in the city 2007
Although the nature of morality is hotly debated, many psychologists argue that morality has its origins in empathy. Empathy is the process by which an individual experiences the same feelings as another person.
Studies on empathy have suggested that human beings, as well as many other non-human animals, possess this basic capacity to share emotional experiences.
Based on this research, many psychologists believe that empathy is hard-wired into the biological constitutions of human beings a result of millions of years of evolution. On this account, we are by nature moral creatures.
In this presentation, Dr. Sokol challenges this biological view and urges instead, that empathy develops in social interactions. It is the structure of these social interactions not our biological makeup that makes us moral.
He will discuss research on a school-based prevention program that models these empathy-building social interactions between children and an infant.
