Fetal testosterone and empathy: Evidence from the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” Test

Abstract. Previous research suggests that theory of mind tasks such as the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) are correlated with general intelligence ( g). The present study replicated and extended this research by testing correlations between g, the RMET, and two related measures, the empathy quotient (EQ) and systematizing quotient (SQ). The RMET, EQ, and SQ were all significantly correlated with g (r = .27 with RMET; r = −.15 with EQ; r = .27 with SQ). To determine if the RMET, EQ, and SQ derive their predictive power from g, a hierarchical regression examined whether the RMET, EQ, and SQ predicted feelings toward STEM and humanities after controlling for g. The EQ and SQ continued to significantly predict feelings toward STEM (β = −.20 for EQ; β = .42 for SQ) after controlling for g, and the RMET and EQ continued to significantly predict feelings toward humanities (β = .10 for RMET; β = .20 for EQ) after controlling for g, suggesting that these measures do not entirely derive their predictive power from g.

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Are disturbances in mentalization ability similar between schizophrenic patients and borderline personality disorder patients? A pilot study

10.1101/2021.11.24.21266797 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bar Tair ◽

Issam Ahshibon ◽

Muhammad Abu-Alhiga ◽

Tamar Peleg ◽

Yaseen Awad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Personality Disorder ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Borderline Personality ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Empathy Quotient ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

The Difference ◽

Affective Components ◽

The Mind

There is a growing interest in theory of mind (ToM) performance among individuals with psychiatric disorders, however, the difference and the performance level between different diagnoses is unclear. Here, we compared the ToM abilities of schizophrenia, schizoaffective and borderline personality individuals (BPD) with healthy individuals, and searched for a correlation between ToM ability, social skills, and empathy. Overall, diagnostic groups performed worse in the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test and recognized fewer Faux Pax motifs than healthy individuals recognize. No difference was observed in the ability to perform the eyes test between schizophrenic patients with and without the affective components and BPD patients. Both schizophrenia and BPD patients received a higher score in the autism-spectrum questioner, while all the diagnostic groups scored lower on the empathy quotient scale than healthy individuals. Finally, a correlation was found between ToM ability and empathy, but not with autistic-related traits. Results indicate that both cognitive and affective aspects of ToM are impaired across all the diagnostic groups, challenge the ability to use ToM as a differential diagnostic tool, and strengthen the correlation between decreased empathy and impaired ToM.

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EXPRESS: Feelings first? Sex differences in affective and cognitive processes in emotion recognition

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology ◽

10.1177/17470218211064583 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174702182110645

Author(s):

Judith Bek ◽

Bronagh Donohoe ◽

Nuala Brady

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Response Times ◽

Emotional Expressions ◽

Basic Emotions ◽

Empathy Quotient ◽

The Mind ◽

Rapid Processing

The recognition of emotional expressions is important for social understanding and interaction, but findings on the relationship between emotion recognition, empathy and theory of mind, as well as sex differences in these relationships, have been inconsistent. This may reflect the relative involvement of affective and cognitive processes at different stages of emotion recognition and in different experimental paradigms. In the present study, images of faces morphed from neutral to full expression of five basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness), which participants were asked to identify as quickly and accurately as possible. Accuracy and response times from healthy males (N=46) and females (N=43) were analysed in relation to the Empathy Quotient (EQ; Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright, 2004) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (Eyes Test; Baron-Cohen et al., 2001) as a measure of mentalising or theory of mind. Females were faster and more accurate than males in recognising dynamic emotions. Linear mixed-effects modelling showed that response times were inversely related to the emotional empathy subscale of the EQ, but this was accounted for by a female advantage on both measures. Accuracy was unrelated to EQ scores but was predicted independently by sex and Eyes Test scores. These findings suggest that rapid processing of dynamic emotional expressions is strongly influenced by sex, which may reflect the greater involvement of affective processes at earlier stages of emotion recognition.

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La Cognición Social en la Esclerosis Múltiple Temprana: Enfoque neuropsicológico y anatómico

Journal of Applied Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.17981/jacn.2.1.2021.03 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. e00153735

Author(s):

Lucia Crivelli ◽

Ismael-Luis Calandri ◽

Belén Helou ◽

Greta Keller ◽

Marcela-Paula Fiol ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Brain Mri ◽

Language Tests ◽

Esclerosis Múltiple ◽

Relapsing Remitting ◽

Empathy Quotient ◽

Healthy Control ◽

The Right ◽

The Mind

Cognitive impairment and deficits in social cognition (SC) are frequent in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the present work is to study SC in patients with early MS and to analyze its neuroanatomical correlation. Thirty-four patients with relapsing remitting MS, with ≤ 2 years of disease progression and EDSS and ≤2, and 30 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and educational level were recruited. Subjects performed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment (Rao BRB). SC was assessed using the International Affective Picture System IAPS, The Eyes in the Mind Test, the Empathy Quotient, and the Faux Pas Test. The anatomical correlation of patients with deficits in social cognition was studied through brain MRI and voxel-based morphometric for which cortical reconstruction and volumetric segmentation were performed using Freesurfer processing software. Patients showed significant deficits in executive functions, verbal memory and language tests. SC assessment showed that patients presented greater difficulties in the Faux Pas Test (p = 0.023), The Mind in the Eyes Test (p = 0.014), and presented a positive bias in the interpretation of neutral images of the IAPS (P = 0.023). Furthermore, patients with CS deficits presented less cortical thickness in areas of the right supramarginal gyrus, pars opercularis, and anterior cingulum.

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How Homo economicus lost her mind and how we can revive her

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x1800033x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

Author(s):

Peter DeScioli

Keyword(s):

Economic Thought ◽

History Of Economic Thought ◽

Homo Economicus ◽

Economic Theories ◽

Target Article ◽

History Of ◽

The Mind ◽

And Behavior

AbstractThe target article by Boyer & Petersen (B&P) contributes a vital message: that people have folk economic theories that shape their thoughts and behavior in the marketplace. This message is all the more important because, in the history of economic thought, Homo economicus was increasingly stripped of mental capacities. Intuitive theories can help restore the mind of Homo economicus.

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