Empathy, Pain and Attention: Cues that Predict Pain Stimulation to the Partner and the Self Capture Visual Attention

Abstract

Empathy motivates helping and cooperative behaviors and plays an important role in social interactions and personal communication. The present research examined the hypothesis that a state of empathy guides attention towards stimuli significant to others in a similar way as to stimuli relevant to the self. Sixteen couples in romantic partnerships were examined in a pain-related empathy paradigm including an anticipation phase and a stimulation phase. Abstract visual symbols (i.e., arrows and flashes) signaled the delivery of a Pain or Nopain stimulus to the partner or the self while dense sensor event-related potentials (ERPs) were simultaneously recorded from both persons. During the anticipation phase, stimuli predicting Pain compared to Nopain stimuli to the partner elicited a larger early posterior negativity (EPN) and late positive potential (LPP), which were similar in topography and latency to the EPN and LPP modulations elicited by stimuli signaling pain for the self. Noteworthy, using abstract cue symbols to cue Pain and Nopain stimuli suggests that these effects are not driven by perceptual features. The findings demonstrate that symbolic stimuli relevant for the partner capture attention, which implies a state of empathy to the pain of the partner. From a broader perspective, states of empathy appear to regulate attention processing according to the perceived needs and goals of the partner.

Keywords: EPN; LPP; attention; emotion; empathy.

Figure 1

Sample trials of the four experimental conditons, e.g., Self-Pain, Partner-Pain, Self-Nopain, Partner-Nopain. Target of the stimulation was indicated by the direction of the arrow (left vs. right). Color of the arrow indicated the intensity of the stimulation (Pain vs. Nopain). In the stimulation phase, a flash of the same color as the preceding arrow was shown to indicate electric stimulus delivery. Assignment of colors was balanced for target and intensity across participants.

Figure 2

Mean scores and standard error of unpleasantness ratings under the “Self-Pain”, “Self-Nopain”, “Partner-Pain” and “Partner-Nopain” conditions.

Figure 3

Illustration of the early posterior negativity (EPN) component showing a representative right temporo-occipital sensor (EGI # 90) (A). Scalp potential maps of the difference waves of [Self-Pain] — [Self-Nopain] (B), [Partner-Pain] — [Partner-Nopain] conditions (C). A back view of the the model head is shown.

Figure 4

Illustration of the late positive potential (LPP) component showing a representative centro-parietal sensor (EGI # 54) (A). Scalp potential maps of the difference waves of [Self-Pain] — [Self-Nopain] (B), [Partner-Pain] — [Partner-Nopain] conditions (C). A top view of the model head is shown.

Figure 5

Illustration of the N150 and P260 components showing a representative fronto-central sensor (EGI # 7) (A). Illustration of the P3 component showing a representative centro-parietal sensor (EGI # 54) (B). Scalp potential maps of the difference waves of [Self-Pain] — [Self-Nopain] (C), [Partner-Pain] — [Partner-Nopain] conditions (D). A top view of the model head is shown.