The role of self-agency and facial mimicry in normal human empathy

Abstract

Philosophers in early human history already noticed that we humans are able to empathize, as the term for this phenomenon roots in ancient Greek. Although the existence of empathy has been noticed long ago, it is only recently that scientific researchers have become interested in this phenomenon. Reason for this is not the lack of interest but because it is difficult to investigate this phenomenon. Many factors seem to be contributing to our empathic ability. Two of these factors that have been found important for experiencing empathic feelings on a normal level, are a sense of self-agency and facial mimicry. Psychiatric disorders with a distortion in empathy have often been related to a deficiency in self-agency (Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Alexithymia, schizophrenia/schizotypy, social phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder) or facial mimicry (Autistic Spectrum Disorders). In this thesis the importance of self-agency and facial mimicry for normal empathy was determined. This was done by investigating whether a deficiency in empathy could be related to a deficiency in the sense of self-agency or facial mimicry. The studies discussed in this thesis provide evidence that both self-agency and facial mimicry are important factors contributing to the empathic ability. The deficiency in empathy of individuals with psychiatric disorders was found to be related to deficiencies in facial mimicry and/or to deficiencies in a sense of self-agency