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Presented at PMI NYC Agile SIG on June 3, 2014. Pictures can be found here http://bit.ly/PMI-NYC-ScienceBehindEmpathy
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The Science Behind Empathy
-By Ram Srinivasan
Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile Coach@ramvasan, http://linkedin.com/in/ramvasan
About This Session• Brain Science is an evolving field,
multiple models exist for complex
processes
• Though I explain a “process” by
itself, the brain “parallelizes” a lot
of processes at the same time
• Same brain regions can be active
during different processes
The Basics – Triune Brain Theory
Empathy, Mindreading and Mirror Neurons
Rock – Paper - Scissors
Theory of Mind (ToM)
Ability to grasp that others have believes, thoughts, intentions and feelings that are different than that of our own
MentalizingApplying ToM to experientially understand others state of mind, believes, desires and particularly emotions without injecting our own
Mentalizing is non-trivial
Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock
The New Game – RPSLS variation• Your goal is to have the same sign as that of your
partner
• You cannot agree on a specific sign before or during the game, you have to discover it by playing the game
• You (or your partner) cannot use the same sign consecutively or cannot use consecutive signs (e.g. rock this time, paper next time)
• You are ONLY allowed to “read” the other person to guess what sign they may use
The New Game … With Emotions
Partial list of emotions from http://www.thework.com/downloads/worksheets/Emotions_List_Ltr.pdf
Empathy (Feeling Into .. ) Process
•Mind Reading (i.e. decoding others’ emotions)
• Affect(emotion) Matching
• Empathic Motivation (positive regard with non-fleeting concern)
In Daniel Goleman’s terms …
•Mind Reading (i.e. decoding others’ emotions)
• Affect(emotion) Matching
• Empathic Motivation (positive regard with non-fleeting concern)
Co
gnit
ive
Em
pat
hy
Emo
tio
nal
Em
pat
hy
Emp
ath
ic C
on
cern
(p
osi
tive
reg
ard
wit
h n
on
fle
etin
g co
nce
rn)
An Experiment • If you won Rock-Paper-
Scissors, you are “A”.
• Please stand up and start thinking about a story that you can share, which had moderate to significant emotional impact on you
• Turn around and face the back of the room
An Experiment • If you are reading this, you
are “B”
• When “A” shares his/her story, your goal is to maintain “poker face” i.e. show no emotions
• You can ask questions, but your voice should be a monotone voice i.e. your voice does not raise and fall
Be the Mirror
Mirror Neurons and Imitation
Mirror System in monkey and humans
Mirror Neurons and Imitation
• When observers watch the actions (with intentions) of others, their brains mimic those actions as if the observers themselves are performing those actions
• Subconsciously, our brain can mirror• Actions
• Emotions
• Intentions (right pSTS and premotar system)
• Activating the “mirror system” relies on more than perceived emotions, it relies on perceived movements, and more subtle variations like perceived movement in space
Mimicking Emotions
• When we see another person’s facial emotions, we mimic those emotions in subtle ways
• If the person is unable to mimic those expressions in subtle ways (say due to Botox injections), they will be worse at recognizing emotions of others
“Auditory mirroring” is secondary, and person who is able to match the client’s processing style is more likely to convey empathy
Empathic Motivation
Empathic Motivation
A sustained positive regard which is non-fleeting, and moves the person to do something
How Would Empathic Motivation Show up for You During a
Conversation?
Active Listening
Listening vs. Hearing
Listening
• Biases• Experience• Culture• Preconceived Notion
and Thoughts• Judgment
Listening is a active cognitive process, i.e. we do not just hear, we make sense out of those words
Your Internal Dialog
Active Listening-Reduce Internal Chatter
• Internal Chatter is minimized
• Listen with empathy for clarification and collaboration
Internal Chatter(Mind Wandering)
• One type of Resting State Network (RSN) is the Default Mode Network (also called Narrative Network) • Associated with Stimulus Independent
Thought• Is active when one is not doing cognitive,
motor and visual task• It is the brain’s preferred state of being
• Default Mode Network is a Task Negative Network
• Default Mode Network is involved in Social Cognition• Thinking about oneself, other and
relationship of self to others –Evolutionary Significance
A Wandering Mind…
Is an Unhappy Mind
Questions:
How are you feeling right now?
What are you doing right now?
Are you thinking about something other than what you are currently doing?
Reference: A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind by Matthew A. Killingsworthand Daniel T. Gilbert
A Wandering Mind…
Is an Unhappy Mind
Facts:
• Mind wandering is common• 47% on an average • At least 30% during every
activity except making love
• People were less happy when mind wandered
• Being “present” signified more happiness
Reference: A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind by Matthew A. Killingsworthand Daniel T. Gilbert
DMN When Focusing on a Task• Internal focus on our train of thoughts shuts down
our sensory system and consequently memory of the event
• As default network is activated , task positive network is deactivated (attention and engagement is decreased)
• Situations that do not need focus – boring or repetitive tasks let mind wander and vice versa
• Catch 22: the very circuits that use to catch the wandering mind are the same circuits recruited by the wandering mind
• Vicious circle of fatigue, stress and anxiety
Meta-Awareness
• Can be defined as one’s explicit knowledge of the current contents of thoughts, feeling and sensations
• Noticing of mind wandering aids in the direct control of consciousness
• The fact that we can take stock of our conscious experience allows the individual to initiate downstream changes that will ultimately allow mind wandering to be controlled
Reference ArticlesMeta-awareness, perceptual decoupling and the wandering mind Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference
References