The Evolutionary Origin and Neural Basis of the Empathetic Systems

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Empathic system
• Project/Area Number: 15K21739
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Complex systems
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Hasegawa Toshikazu 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (30172894)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 菊水 健史 麻布大学, 獣医学部, 教授 (90302596) ; 駒井 章治 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 准教授 (50420469)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): WATANABE Shigeru 慶應義塾大学, 文学部, 教授 (30051907) ; KAMEDA Tatsuya 東京大学, 大学院人文社会系研究科, 教授 (20214554) ; MURAYAMA Miho 京都大学, 野生動物研究センター, 教授 (60293552) ; OHTSUKI Hisashi 総合研究大学院大学, 先導科学研究科, 講師 (50517802) ; ONAKA Tatsushi 自治医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90177254)
• Research Collaborator: Braun Katherina Otto von Guericke University Magdegurg, Prof. ; Bovet Dalila Universite Paris Nanterre, Prof. ; Bagnyar Thomas University of Wien, Prof. ; Masuda Takahiko Alberta University, Prof. ; Hietanen Jari Tampere University, Prof. ; Balliet Daniel University of Amsterdam, Prof. ; Mason Peggy University of Chicago, Prof. ; Froemke Robert New York University, Prof. ; Mogil Jeffrey Mcgill University, Prof. ; Anderson James Kyoto University, Prof. ; Romero Teresa University of Lincoln, Dr. ; Carcea Ioana New York University, Dr. ; Adenyo Christopher University of Ghana, Dr. ; Sheider Linda University of Osnabruck, Dr. ; Onishi Kenji 東京大学, 長谷川研究室, 特任研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2015-11-06 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 共感性 / データ管理 / 動物倫理 / 国際共同研究 / 若手支援

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using this fund introduced from December 2015, we were able to achieve more than expected results in two and a half years. 1) Launch and promote new international collaboration research. The main results are① Find out how social influence can help a group of individuals collectively improve its performance and accuracy in estimation tasks depending on the quality and quantity of information provided. ②The vasopressin receptor genotype of chimpanzee is related to idiopathic attack and conscience like human. ③ It is suggested that emotional contagion stretching across the origins of empathy to be raised among mothers and children by experiments using a mouse model of pain contagion. ④Also suggested that interaction between mothers and children during early childhood develops the cingulate oxytocin nervous system, which promotes sociality and social memory. 2) Training young researchers at overseas laboratories, leading one of them to get the position in the laboratory.

Free Research Field

進化心理学、行動生態学、人間行動進化学