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2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

A longitudinal twin study on the development of empathy

Research Project

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Project/Area Number 19K03229
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 10020:Educational psychology-related
Research InstitutionKyoto University

Principal Investigator

Takahashi Yusuke  京都大学, 教育学研究科, 准教授 (20615471)

Project Period (FY) 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
Keywords共感性 / 向社会行動 / 縦断研究 / 双生児 / 行動遺伝学 / 冷淡さ / 無感情性
Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although empathy is one of the human capitals indispensable for human adaptive behavior, the structure of empathy in childhood and adolescence and its predictive validity for several important outcome variables remain largely unexplored. In this research project, clarifying the structure and developmental dynamics of empathy in childhood and adolescence, we have examined how it influences social adjustment and maladjustment through behavioral genetic analysis using the twin method, and in particular, using data from the UK, we have clarified aspects of the development of callous and unemotional traits, which are the dark side of empathy, and using data from Japan, we reported on the specific etiological relationship between two types of empathy (i.e., cognitive and affective empathy) and autistic and psychopathic tendencies.

Free Research Field

教育心理学,発達心理学,行動遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題は,人間においても他の動物種においても通底して観測される向社会行動への誘因たる共感性の発達基盤について実証的な検証を行った。共感性は適応行動に欠かすことのできないスキルのひとつでありながら,幼児期・児童期における共感性の構造と結果変数に対する予測的妥当性については未解明の部分が多かった。そこで,本研究課題は共感性を主軸として,その発達の個人差の様相を遺伝と環境の観点から統計的に読み解き,その結果,調和性・自閉傾向・サイコパシー傾向などとも関連性が認められたことから,隣接他分野への学術的波及効果も大きく,ある程度の社会的インパクトも在ったと考えられる。

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Published: 2023-01-30  

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