In search of the biological basis of empathy in couples
Text by Joana Coutinho
The text of researcher Joana Coutinho on the project “Neurobiological correlates of empathy in couples: A study of central and peripheral measure”, funded by Fundação BIAL, is featured in this month’s Superinteressante magazine, issue no. 318.
How does our neurobiological system respond when we empathize with our romantic partner’s emotions? This was the major scientific question that this research, funded by Fundação BIAL, aimed to answer.
The data on violence in couple relationships in Portugal points to the need to understand the socio-emotional processes that occur in couple interactions, i.e. to understand the mechanisms that are involved in the way members of the couple process their partner’s emotions and how they are able to self-regulate, which seems to be particularly important in situations of marital conflict.
The fact that cardiac activity is higher when relationship problems are discussed has important implications for the health effects of marital conflict.
These results may help us to understand why it is so difficult for couples to maintain an empathic approach in situations of open conflict, which is associated with the difficulty of regulating their own activation. This can be a key factor in creating therapeutic interventions to help individuals regulate physiological and emotional activation.
