It has been suggested that "sharing the same body" between the observer and the observed subject allows for a direct form of understanding and emotional attuning by a process of simulation. Then, what happens when we don't share the same body? The aim of the present paper is to review available evidence of intra-and inter-species empathic and prosocial behaviours, with respect to within-human, within-animals and cross-specifies interactions. Similarities and differences will be evaluated using a comparative perspective, and some possible moral and ethical implications for human-animal interactions will be discussed. According to Charles Darwin's work, the perceived differences between human and animal empathy could be more quantitative than qualitative, suggesting a common affective core which allows both categories to mirror and tune to conspecifics' feelings, where in the case of humans it can be integrated with more complex cognitive processes.

Empathy and Prosocial Behaviours : insights from Intra- and Inter-species Interactions / M.E. Vanutelli, M. Balconi. - In: RIVISTA INTERNAZIONALE DI FILOSOFIA E PSICOLOGIA. - ISSN 2039-4667. - 6:1(2015 Apr 30), pp. 88-109. [10.4453/rifp.2015.0007]

Empathy and Prosocial Behaviours : insights from Intra- and Inter-species Interactions

M.E. Vanutelli;
2015

Abstract

It has been suggested that "sharing the same body" between the observer and the observed subject allows for a direct form of understanding and emotional attuning by a process of simulation. Then, what happens when we don't share the same body? The aim of the present paper is to review available evidence of intra-and inter-species empathic and prosocial behaviours, with respect to within-human, within-animals and cross-specifies interactions. Similarities and differences will be evaluated using a comparative perspective, and some possible moral and ethical implications for human-animal interactions will be discussed. According to Charles Darwin's work, the perceived differences between human and animal empathy could be more quantitative than qualitative, suggesting a common affective core which allows both categories to mirror and tune to conspecifics' feelings, where in the case of humans it can be integrated with more complex cognitive processes.
Empathy; Emotion; Prosocial Behaviours; Intra- and Inter-species Interaction
Settore M-PSI/01 - Psicologia Generale
Settore M-PSI/02 - Psicobiologia e Psicologia Fisiologica
30-apr-2015
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
EmpathyAndProsocialBehavior.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 535.19 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
535.19 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/608481
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 6
social impact