Empathy in Adolescence

Slide 1 of 17: Synopsis

Human Development Video Activity
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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.
empathy
The experience of understanding someone else’s feelings and desires by imagining oneself in their place.
functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
An imaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting the volume of blood flow in different areas of the brain. Researchers can use the fMRI to observe where and how the brain responds to different stimuli.
prefrontal cortex
The part of the brain at the front of the frontal lobe just behind the forehead that is responsible for executive functioning, such as decision-making, reasoning, planning, impulse control, and prioritizing tasks.
neuron
A nerve cell that receives and communicates information throughout the body as part of the central nervous system.

Author

Group of teenagers volunteering to help build a house.

Victoria Cross, University of California – Davis

Synopsis

This activity focuses on brain development during adolescence. Through video clips, recent findings regarding the processing of emotional expressions are presented along with evidence supporting the conclusion that the prefrontal cortex undergoes a disruptive maturational process during adolescence.

References

Ekman, P. (1993). Facial expression and emotion. American Psychologist, 48, 384-392.

Knudsen, E. (2004). Sensitive periods in the development of the brain and behavior. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16(8), Special issue: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 1412-1425.

Lewis, M. & Haviland-Jones, J. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of emotions (2nd ed.). Guilford Press, NY, NY.