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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Stress undermines empathic abilities in men but increases them in women

By Sissa Medialab
Science Daily
Originally published March 17, 2014

Stressed males tend to become more self-centered and less able to distinguish their own emotions and intentions from those of other people.  For women the exact opposite is true.  Stress, this problem that haunts us every day, could be undermining not only our health but also our relationships with other people, especially for men. Stressed women, however, become more “prosocial,” according to new research.

The entire review is here.

The original article is:

L. Tomova, B. von Dawans, M. Heinrichs, G. Silani, C. Lamm. Is stress affecting our ability to tune into others? Evidence for gender differences in the effects of stress on self-other distinction. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2014; 43: 95 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.02.006

Editor's Note: These findings may have importance in terms of ethical decision-making while under duress.