"The amygdala is important because, among its other functions, it allows an individual to respond to the facial expressions of others. When a person has an abnormal amygdala—one that doesn't process the facial expressions of emotion—they can have an inability to register the fear and suffering of a victim, says Stone. This lack of response to the emotions of others predisposes an individual to antisocial, even criminal, behavior.
Under normal development, empathy from a full-functioning amygdala pairs with a moral “braking system” in the brain’s higher-functioning cortex. This connection halts deep-rooted urges from our neural-narcissistic lizard brain, keeping each of us morally and socially in step. However, if that connection is not operating properly, says Stone, "the person may go ahead and do the unspeakable crime, which otherwise he would have put the brakes on or maybe even not even contemplated doing it in the first place.”
No comments:
Post a Comment