Neurocognitive Basis of Racial Ingroup Bias in Empathy
Abstract
Racial discrimination in social behavior, although disapproved of by many contemporary cultures, has been widely reported. Because empathy plays a key functional role in social behavior, brain imaging researchers have extensively investigated the neurocognitive underpinnings of racial ingroup bias in empathy. This research has revealed consistent evidence for increased neural responses to the perceived pain of same-race compared with other-race individuals in multiple brain regions and across multiple time-windows. Researchers have also examined neurocognitive, sociocultural, and environmental influences on racial ingroup bias in empathic neural responses, as well as explored possible interventions to reduce racial ingroup bias in empathic brain activity. These findings have important implications for understanding racial ingroup favoritism in social behavior and for improving interracial communication.
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Highlighting group boundaries can undermine empathy with those who are socially distant.
“Highlighting group boundaries can undermine empathy with those who are socially distant 26,27”
From Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response (2020) · cites this paper as [27]
Previous fMRI studies have identified increased activity in both the empathy network (e.g., aMCC and AI) and the theory-of-mind network (e.g., mPFC and TPJ) in response to ingroup pain.
“Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have identified increased activity in both the empathy network (e.g., the anterior midcingulate [aMCC] and anterior insula [AI]) and the theory-of-mind network (e.g., the medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC] and the temporoparietal junction [TPJ]) in response to ingroup pain (Hein et al., 2010; Cikara et al., 2011; Han, 2018).”
From A neurobiological association of revenge propensity during intergroup conflict (2020) · cites this paper as Han, 2018
A recent review documents that a racial ingroup bias in empathy has been consistently documented in brain imagery studies in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States.
“A recent review documents that a racial ingroup bias in empathy has been consistently documented in brain imagery studies in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States [110].”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [110]
Experimental administration of oxytocin increases empathic brain activity to same race persons but not to persons of another race.
“Also, the experimental administration of oxytocin increases empathic brain activity to same race persons but not to persons of another race.”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [110]
The racial ingroup bias is more pronounced among persons with higher implicit racial bias, individuals from cultures that are more collectivistic than individualistic in emphasis, and when individuals are exposed to harsh living conditions.
“This research has also documented that the racial ingroup bias is more pronounced among persons with higher implicit racial bias, individuals from cultures that are more collectivistic than individualistic in emphasis, and when individuals are exposed to harsh living conditions [110].”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [110]
There is a stronger empathic neural response to the pain of same race versus other race individuals, using a variety of stimuli.
“This research indicates that there is a stronger empathic neural response to the pain of same race versus other race individuals, using a variety of stimuli”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [110]
The racial bias in neural responses is more consistent than self-reported estimates of empathy.
“and this racial bias in neural responses is more consistent than self-reported estimates of empathy.”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [110]
The racial gap in empathic brain activity is reduced when individuals are instructed to focus on an individual's suffering (individuation) instead of his/her racial background, when individuals are on the same team with members of a racial outgroup, and among persons who have experienced greater inter-racial interaction in their socialization.
“These include when individuals are instructed to focus on an individual’s suffering (individuation) instead of his/her racial background, when individuals are on the same team with members of a racial outgroup, and among persons who have experienced greater inter-racial interaction in their socialization.”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [110]
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Task modulations of racial bias in neural responses to others' suffering
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Cultural experiences reduce racial bias in neural responses to others’ suffering
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- Authors
- Han, S.
- Affiliations
- Peking University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Han, Shihui
- ORCID
- Han, Shihui
- Venue
- Trends in Cognitive Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-05
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 400-421
- ISSN
- 1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2790102739
- Cited by
- 182
- References
- 133
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 6.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (31661143039, 31470986, 31421003)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
- Keywords
- empathy, racial discrimination, own-race effect, intergroup favoritism, interracial communication
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Cognition, Empathy, Group Processes, Humans, Social Perception, Pain Perception, Racism
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