Cited by 2,483Evolutionary Psychology and Human BehaviorEvolutionary Game Theory and CooperationChild and Animal Learning Development

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 182 of the 183 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Putting the Altruism Back into Altruism: The Evolution of Empathy

de Waal, Frans B.M.·2008·Annual Review of Psychology

DOI 10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093625

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Evolutionary theory postulates that altruistic behavior evolved for the return-benefits it bears the performer. For return-benefits to play a motivational role, however, they need to be experienced by the organism. Motivational analyses should restrict themselves, therefore, to the altruistic impulse and its knowable consequences. Empathy is an ideal candidate mechanism to underlie so-called directed altruism, i.e., altruism in response to anothers's pain, need, or distress. Evidence is accumulating that this mechanism is phylogenetically ancient, probably as old as mammals and birds. Perception of the emotional state of another automatically activates shared representations causing a matching emotional state in the observer. With increasing cognition, state-matching evolved into more complex forms, including concern for the other and perspective-taking. Empathy-induced altruism derives its strength from the emotional stake it offers the self in the other's welfare. The dynamics of the empathy mechanism agree with predictions from kin selection and reciprocal altruism theory.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093625

Cites

182 of 182 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

The genetical evolution of social behaviour. I
Hamilton, W. D. (1964) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1016/0022-5193(64)90038-4 · Cited by 15,725
The Evolution of Reciprocal Altruism
Trivers, R. L. (1971) · The Quarterly Review of Biology · doi:10.1086/406755 · Cited by 11,010
Untitled work
(1994) · DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) · Cited by 10,542
Untitled work
(1976) · Cited by 10,423
DESCARTES' ERROR: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain
Marg, E. (1995) · Optometry and Vision Science · doi:10.1002/j.1538-9235.1995.tb03988.x · Cited by 8,178
On aims and methods of ethology
Tinbergen, N. (1963) · Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie · doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1963.tb01161.x · Cited by 4,551
Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions
Panksepp, J. (1998) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780195096736.001.0001 · Cited by 4,428
Empathy: its ultimate and proximate bases
Preston, S. D., & de Waal, F. B. M. (2002) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x02000018 · Cited by 4,126
Untitled work
(1998) · Cited by 4,012
Empathy for Pain Involves the Affective but not Sensory Components of Pain
Singer, T., Seymour, B., O'Doherty, J., Kaube, H., Dolan, R. J., & Frith, C. D. (2004) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1093535 · Cited by 3,929

Show all 183 references

Research works printed but not linked: 20

Bischof-Köhler D, 1988, Schw. Z. Psychol., 47, 147
Bowlby J, 1958, Int. J. Psychoanal., 39, 350
10.1037//0012-1649.33.5.781 · DOI · Paper page
de Waal FBM, 1997, Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape.
de Waal FBM, 2003, Feelings & Emotions: The Amsterdam Symposium, 379
de Waal FBM, 2005, Our Inner Ape.
Dindo M, 2006, Am. J. Primatol., 69, 1
Eisenberg N, 2000, Handbook of Emotion, 677
Flack JC, 2000, J. Consc. Stud., 7, 67
Johnson DB, 1992, Merrill-Palmer Q. Behav. Dev., 28, 379
Joubert D, 1991, Natl. Geogr., 179, 39
Kagan J, 2000, J. Consc. Stud., 7, 46
Lipps T, 1903, Arch. für die gesamte Psychol., 1, 465
Menzel EW, 1974, Behavior of Non-human Primates, Vol. 5, 83
Parr LA., 2001, Pan troglodytes, 4, 223
Payne K, 1998, Silent Thunder: In the Presence of Elephants
Povinelli DJ, 1998, Sci. Am.
Watts DP, 2000, Natural Conflict Resolution, 281
Wrangham RW, 1996, Demonic Males: Apes and the Evolution of Human Aggression.
10.1037//0012-1649.28.1.126 · DOI · Paper page

Sorted by citations

Items 701–800 of 1,005

Deciding for others as a neutral party recruits risk-neutral perspective-taking: Model-based behavioral and fMRI experiments
Ogawa, A., Ueshima, A., Inukai, K., & Kameda, T. (2018) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-018-31308-6 · Cited by 33
Influence of Perceived Socially Responsible Human Resource Management on Task Performance and Social Performance
Shao, D., Zhou, E., & Gao, P. (2019) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su11113195 · Cited by 33
Rescue-like Behaviour in Mice is Mediated by Their Interest in the Restraint Tool
Ueno, H., Suemitsu, S., Murakami, S., Kitamura, N., Wani, K., Takahashi, Y., Matsumoto, Y., Okamoto, M., & Ishihara, T. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-46128-5 · Cited by 31
Meta‐analysis of associations between empathy and alcohol use and problems in clinical and non‐clinical samples
Kumar, L., Skrzynski, C. J., & Creswell, K. G. (2022) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.15941 · Cited by 32
Varieties of Empathy and Moral Agency
Aaltola, E. (2013) · Topoi · doi:10.1007/s11245-013-9205-8 · Cited by 36
Peer acceptance among Chinese adolescents: The role of emotional empathy, cognitive empathy and gender
Huang, H., & Su, Y. (2014) · International Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1002/ijop.12075 · Cited by 31
It's All About Me
McCrady, F. E., Kaufman, K. L., Vasey, M. W., Barriga, A. Q., Devlin, R. S., & Gibbs, J. C. (2008) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/1079063208320249 · Cited by 31
Altruism and Prosocial Behavior
Lay, J. C., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_69 · Cited by 34
Oxytocin reduces food sharing in capuchin monkeys by modulating social distance
Brosnan, S. F., Talbot, C. F., Essler, J. L., Leverett, K., Flemming, T., Dougall, P., Heyler, C., & Zak, P. J. (2015) · Behaviour · doi:10.1163/1568539x-00003268 · Cited by 30
Attachment and the Development of Prosocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
Martins, M. C., Santos, C., Fernandes, M., & Veríssimo, M. (2022) · Children · doi:10.3390/children9060874 · Cited by 30
Impaired social cognition in patients with interictal epileptiform discharges in the frontal lobe
Hu, Y., Jiang, Y., Hu, P., Ma, H., & Wang, K. (2016) · Epilepsy & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.01.027 · Cited by 30
Features of Empathy–Arousing Strategic Messages
Shen, L. (2018) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2018.1485078 · Cited by 34
“Given the understanding of empathy during message processing (Shen, 2010a), empathy theory, and existing empirical findings (De Waal, 2008; Preston & De Waal, 2002), we have some initial knowledge of empathy-arousing features: First, given empathy’s function of facilitating social relationships,…”
Background
The Role of Executive Functions in the Development of Empathy and Its Association with Externalizing Behaviors in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Other Psychiatric Comorbidities
Cristofani, C., Sesso, G., Cristofani, P., Fantozzi, P., Inguaggiato, E., Muratori, P., Narzisi, A., Pfanner, C., Pisano, S., Polidori, L., et al. (2020) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci10080489 · Cited by 30
“According to the Russian Doll Model, several components of the empathic response, which have been added layer by layer during evolution, remain functionally integrated [34].”
Method
Moral Disengagement as a Self-Regulatory Cognitive Process of Transgressions: Psychometric Evidence of the Bandura Scale in Chilean Adolescents
Concha‐Salgado, A., Ramírez, A., Pérez, B., Pérez-Luco, R., & Garcı́a-Cueto, E. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph191912249 · Cited by 45
How social information impacts action in rodents and humans: the role of the prefrontal cortex and its connections
Kietzman, H. W., & Gourley, S. L. (2023) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105075 · Cited by 34
Collective arousal when reuniting after temporary separation in Tonkean macaques
Marco, A. D., Cozzolino, R., Dessì‐Fulgheri, F., & Thierry, B. (2011) · American Journal of Physical Anthropology · doi:10.1002/ajpa.21606 · Cited by 30
Beneficial effects of human altruism
Lozada, M., D’Adamo, P., & Fuentes, M. (2011) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.08.016 · Cited by 31
Narrative Empathy and How Dealing with Stories Helps: Creating a Space for Empathy in Culturally Diverse Care Settings
Moore, R. J., & Hallenbeck, J. L. (2010) · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.03.013 · Cited by 29
Working hard for oneself or others: Effects of oxytocin on reward motivation in social anxiety disorder
Fang, A., Treadway, M. T., & Hofmann, S. G. (2017) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.05.015 · Cited by 32
Here you are!—Selective and active food sharing within and between groups in captive Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)
Kopp, K. S., & Liebal, K. (2016) · Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology · doi:10.1007/s00265-016-2130-2 · Cited by 31
The Recursive Mind
Corballis, M. C. (2014) · Cited by 29
Oxytocin Facilitates Self-Serving Rather Than Altruistic Tendencies in Competitive Social Interactions Via Orbitofrontal Cortex
Xu, X., Liu, C., Zhou, X., Chen, Y., Gao, Z., Zhou, F., Kou, J., Becker, B., & Kendrick, K. M. (2019) · The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyz028 · Cited by 27
“Indeed, the motivation for altruistic and prosocial behavior is an evolutionary outcome of empathy (Rumble, Van Lange, & Parks, 2010; de Waal, 2008).”
Background
Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy
Allen, K., Reupert, A., & Oades, L. G. (2021) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781003025955 · Cited by 35
The cognitive, affective and somatic empathy scales for adults
Raine, A., Chen, F. R., & Waller, R. E. (2021) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.111238 · Cited by 29
“Empathy has been viewed as having its roots in evolutionary processes (de Waal, 2008), and is argued to be predicated on basic neurophysiological processes (Decety, 2011).”
Adult bonobos show no prosociality in both prosocial choice task and group service paradigm
Verspeek, J., van Leeuwen, E. J. C., Laméris, D. W., Staes, N., & Stevens, J. M. G. (2022) · PeerJ · doi:10.7717/peerj.12849 · Cited by 29
“…taking, since subjects have to understand the goals and needs of others to react to it, which could explain why sustainable targeted helping is only found in species with higher levels of such cognitive capacities like great apes, dolphins and elephants (de Waal, 2008; Yamamoto & Takimoto, 2012).”
Background
Dorsomedial prefrontal hypoexcitability underlies lost empathy in frontotemporal dementia
Phillips, H. L., Dai, H., Choi, S. Y., Jansen‐West, K. R., Zajicek, A. S., Daly, L., Petrucelli, L., Gao, F., & Yao, W. (2023) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.027 · Cited by 30
Embodied neural responses to others’ suffering
Han, X., Luo, S., & Han, S. (2015) · Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17588928.2015.1053440 · Cited by 33
“Because of the key role of empathy in altruistic motivation (Batson, 2011) and prosocial behaviors (Preston & De Waal, 2002; de Waal, 2008), the underlying neural mechanisms have been studied extensively using neuroimaging during the last decade.”
Background
Social consequences of disability in a nonhuman primate
Turner, S. E., Fedigan, L. M., Matthews, H. D., & Nakamichi, M. (2014) · Journal of Human Evolution · doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.01.002 · Cited by 29
The evolutionary roots of prosociality: the case of instrumental helping
Melis, A. P. (2017) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.08.019 · Cited by 29
Humans on Top, Humans among the Other Animals: Narratives of Anthropological Difference
Jaroš, F., & Maran, T. (2019) · Biosemiotics · doi:10.1007/s12304-019-09364-w · Cited by 29
“Empathy plays a crucial role in de Waal’s evolutionary narrative, since he believes it is a proximate cause of cognitively advanced prosocial behavior, such as targeted helping (de Waal 2008).”
Background
The Thief in the Mirror
de Waal, F. Β. Μ. (2008) · PLoS Biology · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060201 · Cited by 28
“] already speculated about this connection, and more recently this idea has been connected to the various levels of empathy reached by mammals. The higher levels of empathy require individuals to grasp the situation in which another finds itself, hence looking at the situation from another's perspective. The same capa…”
Background
Targeted helping by a wild adolescent male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus): evidence for empathy?
Pruetz, J. D. (2010) · Journal of Ethology · doi:10.1007/s10164-010-0244-y · Cited by 28
Parents’ empathic perspective taking and altruistic behavior predicts infants’ arousal to others’ emotions
Upshaw, M. B., Kaiser, C. R., & Sommerville, J. A. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00360 · Cited by 28
“Indeed, empathy is considered to be vital to the emergence of prosocial behaviors (Hoffman, 1982; de Waal, 2008; Knafo et al., 2008).”
Background
Are horses capable of mirror self-recognition? A pilot study
Baragli, P., Demuru, E., Scopa, C., & Palagi, E. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0176717 · Cited by 29
Towards a More Precise Conceptualization of Empathy: An Integrative Review of Literature on Definitions, Associated Functions, and Developmental Trajectories
Zurek, P. P., & Scheithauer, H. (2017) · International Journal of Developmental Science · doi:10.3233/dev-16224 · Cited by 29
“…processes associated with empathy, for example cognitive and affective theory of mind (see the classic study by Premack & Woodruff, 1978, but also O’Connell, 1995; Povinelli, 1996; Suddendorf & Whiten, 2001) and empathic concern (de Waal, 2008; Hirata, 2009; Romero, Castellanos, & de Waal, 2010).”
Influential
The Spanish Version of the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue): Evidence for Longitudinal Measurement Invariance and Relationship With Emotional Regulation
Lucas‐Molina, B., Sarmento‐Henrique, R., Quintanilla, L., & Giménez‐Dasí, M. (2018) · Early Education and Development · doi:10.1080/10409289.2018.1427929 · Cited by 29
Adult Empathy: Possible Gender Differences in Gene-Environment Architecture for Cognitive and Emotional Components in a Large Italian Twin Sample
Toccaceli, V., Fagnani, C., Eisenberg, N., Alessandri, G., Vitale, A., & Stazi, M. A. (2018) · Twin Research and Human Genetics · doi:10.1017/thg.2018.19 · Cited by 28
The fundamental needs underlying social representations
Bonetto, É., & Monaco, G. L. (2018) · New Ideas in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2018.06.003 · Cited by 33
The Ways of Altruism
Piccinini, G., & Schulz, A. W. (2018) · Evolutionary Psychological Science · doi:10.1007/s40806-018-0167-3 · Cited by 28
Wisdom, Morality, and Ethics
Sternberg, R. J., & Glück, J. (2019) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108568272.026 · Cited by 31
Responses to dead and dying conspecifics and heterospecifics by wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii)
Watts, D. P. (2019) · Primates · doi:10.1007/s10329-019-00735-y · Cited by 28
“Beetsme’s effort to prop him up resembled both anecdotal accounts of directed helping of distressed or physically disadvantaged conspecifics by captive (de Waal 2008; Yamamoto et al.”
Background
Sibling relationship dynamics relate to young adults' empathic responding
Gungordu, N., & Hernandez‐Reif, M. (2020) · Journal of Family Studies · doi:10.1080/13229400.2020.1753560 · Cited by 28
“Empathy triggers altruistic behaviour (De Waal, 2008) and prosocial behaviour (Eisenberg & Miller, 1987; Jolliffe & Farrington, 2006), while decreasing bullying (Bilić, 2013; Van Noorden et al., 2015) and aggressive behaviour (Miller & Eisenberg, 1988).”
Background
“In the shoes of another”: immersive technology for social and emotional learning
Tan, M. C. C., Chye, S., & Teng, K. S. M. (2022) · Education and Information Technologies · doi:10.1007/s10639-022-10938-4 · Cited by 28
“Frequently, empathy results from perspective-taking (Batson, 1991; de Waal, 2008); experiencing empathy and being able to take the perspective of another can then lead to responsible decision-making, in accordance with previous research (Oswald, 1996; Cojuharenco & Sguera, 2015; Richardson et al.,…”
Result
“I Feel You!”: The Role of Empathic Competences in Reducing Ethnic Prejudice Among Adolescents
Bobba, B., & Crocetti, E. (2022) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-022-01650-0 · Cited by 28
“Moreover, empathic concern could increase interest in others’ well-being and motivate direct altruistic behaviors to alleviate someone else’s unfavorable conditions (De Waal, 2008).”
Background
A Chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ) Model of Triarchic Psychopathy Constructs
Latzman, R. D., Drislane, L. E., Hecht, L. K., Brislin, S. J., Patrick, C. J., Lilienfeld, S. O., Freeman, H. D., Schapiro, S. J., & Hopkins, W. D. (2015) · Clinical Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/2167702615568989 · Cited by 30
“Similarly, chimpanzees share food even with nonkin, suggesting a high degree of prosociality—which de Waal (2008) suggests may similarly be the foundation for altruism and empathy in humans.”
Background
Do gray wolves (Canis lupus) support pack mates during aggressive inter-pack interactions?
Cassidy, K. A., & McIntyre, R. T. (2016) · Animal Cognition · doi:10.1007/s10071-016-0994-1 · Cited by 28
Testing the Link Between Empathy and Lay Theories of Happiness
Tullett, A. M., & Plaks, J. E. (2016) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167216665092 · Cited by 33
Physiological attunement in mother–infant dyads at clinical high risk: The influence of maternal depression and positive parenting
Hendrix, C. L., Stowe, Z. N., Newport, D. J., & Brennan, P. A. (2017) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579417001158 · Cited by 28
Opportunities for refinement in neuroscience: Indicators of wellness and post-operative pain in laboratory macaques
Descovich, K. (2019) · ALTEX · doi:10.14573/altex.1811061 · Cited by 28
The complexity of understanding others as the evolutionary origin of empathy and emotional contagion
Mafessoni, F., & Lachmann, M. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-41835-5 · Cited by 29
How There Got to Be So Many of Us: The Evolutionary Story of Population Growth and a Life History of Cooperation
Kramer, K. L. (2019) · Journal of Anthropological Research · doi:10.1086/705943 · Cited by 28
The role of identity instability in the relationship between narcissism and emotional empathy.
Di Pierro, R., Di Sarno, M., Preti, E., Di Mattei, V. E., & Madeddu, F. (2018) · Psychoanalytic Psychology · doi:10.1037/pap0000159 · Cited by 27
The Developmental Origins of the Social Brain: Empathy, Morality, and Justice
Chen, C., Martínez, R. M., & Cheng, Y. (2018) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02584 · Cited by 30
“Consistent with kin selection and reciprocal altruism theory, individuals regarded as familiar, as well as previous cooperators, are favored from an empathy-related standpoint (de Waal, 2008).”
Background
The association between grandparental investment and grandparents' happiness in Finland
Danielsbacka, M., & Tanskanen, A. O. (2016) · Personal Relationships · doi:10.1111/pere.12160 · Cited by 27
Neural measures of the role of affective prosody in empathy for pain
Meconi, F., Doro, M., Lomoriello, A. S., Mastrella, G., & Sessa, P. (2018) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18552-y · Cited by 28
Do Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Help Other People With Autism Spectrum Disorders? An Investigation of Empathy and Helping Motivation in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Komeda, H., Kosaka, H., Fujioka, T., Jung, M., & Okazawa, H. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00376 · Cited by 28
Who feels the impacts of climate change?
Andrews, T. M., & Smirnov, O. A. (2020) · Global Environmental Change · doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102164 · Cited by 27
The Paradox of Interactive Media: The Potential for Video Games and Virtual Reality as Tools for Violence Prevention
Bowman, N. D., Ahn, S. J., & Kollar, L. M. M. (2020) · Frontiers in Communication · doi:10.3389/fcomm.2020.580965 · Cited by 27
“Sharing the same basis of feelings and thoughts with another person encourages mutual understanding and helping behaviors (Batson, 1991; de Waal, 2008).”
Background
Finding partners in crime? How transparency about managers’ behavior affects employee collusion
Maas, V. S., & Yin, H. (2021) · Accounting Organizations and Society · doi:10.1016/j.aos.2021.101293 · Cited by 27
“Contemporary research in psychology and sociology likewise associates kindness with empathy and suggests that humans tend to treat others kindly because they understand how it feels to be treaded unkindly, and they feel bad if others suffer (e.g., de Waal, 2008; Silton, 2018).”
Background
Concept and Method in Cross-Cultural and Cultural Psychology
Poortinga, Y. H. (2021) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108908320 · Cited by 28
Altruism in nursing from 2012 to 2022: A scoping review
Chen, Y., Xie, C., Zheng, P., & Zeng, Y. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1046991 · Cited by 27
Cultural Neuroscience of Social Cognition
Chiao, J. Y., & Bebko, G. M. (2010) · On thinking · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-15423-2_2 · Cited by 27
Kognitive und emotionale Empathie bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit ADHS und Störung des Sozialverhaltens
Schwenck, C., Schmitt, D., Sievers, S., Romanos, M., Warnke, A., & Schneider, W. (2011) · Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie · doi:10.1024/1422-4917/a000118 · Cited by 27
Empathic behavior according to the state of others in mice
Ueno, H., Suemitsu, S., Murakami, S., Kitamura, N., Wani, K., Okamoto, M., Matsumoto, Y., Aoki, S., & Ishihara, T. (2018) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.986 · Cited by 27
“In recent years, empathic and sympathetic behaviors have been reported in nonhuman primates (de Waal, 2008, 2012, 2013) and rodents (Keum & Shin, 2016; Langford et al., 2006; Li et al., 2014; Sivaselvachandran, Acland, Abdallah, & Martin, in press); it is therefore becoming clear that many nonhuman…”
Background
Do dogs exhibit jealous behaviors when their owner attends to their companion dog?
Prato‐Previde, E., Nicotra, V., Poli, S. F., Pelosi, A., & Valsecchi, P. (2018) · Animal Cognition · doi:10.1007/s10071-018-1204-0 · Cited by 27
Empathy-mediated altruism in intergroup contexts: The roles of posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth.
Canevello, A., Hall, J., & Walsh, J. I. (2022) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/emo0000803 · Cited by 27
Disgust, Empathy, and Care of the Sick: an Evolutionary Perspective
Steinkopf, L. (2016) · Evolutionary Psychological Science · doi:10.1007/s40806-016-0078-0 · Cited by 26
Are Older Adults More Willing to Donate? The Roles of Donation Form and Social Relationship
Gong, X., Zhang, F., & Fung, H. H.-L. (2017) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbx099 · Cited by 26
“People could also conduct prosocial behaviors to nonrelatives due to other reasons or purposes, such as reciprocal benefits (Trivers, 1971), social prestige (Zahavi, 1995), empathy (e.g., de Waal, 2008; Eisenberg & Miller, 1987) or pure altruism (Batson, 1998).”
Background
Inclusivity of past collective trauma and its implications for current intractable conflict: The mediating role of moral lessons
Rosler, N., & Branscombe, N. R. (2019) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjso.12336 · Cited by 26
Empathy as a buffer: How empathy moderates the emotional effects on Preschoolers’ sharing
Guo, R., & Wu, Z. (2020) · British Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjop.12466 · Cited by 32
Differential Susceptibility to the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Working Memory, Empathy, and Perceived Stress: The Role of Cortisol and Resilience
Baliyan, S., Cimadevilla, J. M., de Vidania, S., Pulopulos, M. M., Sandi, C., & Venero, C. (2021) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci11030348 · Cited by 29
Coping with mortality: responses of monkeys and great apes to collapsed, inanimate and dead conspecifics
Marco, A. D., Cozzolino, R., & Thierry, B. (2021) · Ethology Ecology & Evolution · doi:10.1080/03949370.2021.1893826 · Cited by 28
Development of a measure of kindness
Youngs, D., Yaneva, M. A., & Canter, D. V. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-01882-6 · Cited by 33
“The other source originates from empathy as Eisenberg et al. (2014) and de Waal (2008) demonstrate.”
Background
Empathy and Prosociality in Social Agents
Paiva, A., Correia, F., Oliveira, R., Santos, F. P., & Arriaga, P. (2021) · ACM eBooks · doi:10.1145/3477322.3477334 · Cited by 32
Empathy and correct mental state inferences both promote prosociality
Lehmann, K., Böckler, A., Klimecki, O., Liebmann, C., & Kanske, P. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-20855-8 · Cited by 36
The neuroscience of social relations. A comparative-based approach to empathy and to the capacity of evaluating others’ action value
Ferrari, P. F. (2014) · Behaviour · doi:10.1163/1568539x-00003152 · Cited by 30
“…sensitivity to others’ emotions indicate that monkeys and apes are capable to empathize with others probably through some basic mechanisms of mirroring or embodied simulation (as described below) which allow individuals to directly access to others’ experience (de Waal, 2008; Palagi et al., 2009).”
BackgroundResultInfluential
Shared beliefs enhance shared feelings: Religious/irreligious identifications modulate empathic neural responses
Huang, S., & Han, S. (2014) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470919.2014.934396 · Cited by 27
Empathy, but not Mimicry Restriction, Influences the Recognition of Change in Emotional Facial Expressions
Kosonogov, V., Titova, A., & Vorobyeva, E. V. (2015) · Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1080/17470218.2015.1009476 · Cited by 26
Trauma, helpfulness and selfishness: the effect of abuse and neglect on altruistic, moral and pro-social capacities
Music, G. (2011) · Journal of Child Psychotherapy · doi:10.1080/0075417x.2011.581466 · Cited by 31
Electromyographic Responses to Emotional Facial Expressions in 6–7 Year Olds with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Deschamps, P. K. H., Coppes, L., Kenemans, J. L., Schutter, D. J. L. G., & Matthys, W. (2013) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-013-1890-z · Cited by 26
Mice lacking the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding 5 chromatin remodeler display autism-like characteristics
Pisansky, M. T., Young, A. E., O’Connor, M. B., Gottesman, I. I., Bagchi, A., & Gewirtz, J. C. (2017) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/tp.2017.111 · Cited by 26
With a Little Help from a Friend
de Waal, F. Β. Μ. (2007) · PLoS Biology · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050190 · Cited by 26
Nonverbal Communication
Heß, U. (2015) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-397045-9.00218-4 · Cited by 35
Theological Ethics through a Multispecies Lens
DEANE‐DRUMMOND, C. E. (2019) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198843344.001.0001 · Cited by 25
Functional Neuroimaging and Psychology: What Have You Done for Me Lately?
Moran, J. M., & Zaki, J. (2013) · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1162/jocn_a_00380 · Cited by 26
Revisiting Psychological Mechanisms in the Anthropology of Altruism
Hackman, J., Munira, S., Jasmin, K., & Hruschka, D. J. (2016) · Human Nature · doi:10.1007/s12110-016-9278-3 · Cited by 26
The Need for Power and the Power of Need: An Ecological Approach for Political Psychology
Zeineddine, F. B., & Pratto, F. (2017) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12389 · Cited by 26
The give and take of food sharing in Sumatran orang-utans, Pongo abelii, and chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes
Liebal, K., & Rossano, F. (2017) · Animal Behaviour · doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.09.006 · Cited by 25
“These findings show that chimpanzees and orang-utans are able to interpret others' ‘signals of need’, since such instrumental helping is based on the cognitive appreciation of others' needs (de Waal, 2008).”
Projection from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex to the Lateral Part of Mediodorsal Thalamus Modulates Vicarious Freezing Behavior
Zheng, C., Huang, Y., Bo, B., Lei, W. I., Liang, Z., & Wang, Z. (2019) · Neuroscience Bulletin · doi:10.1007/s12264-019-00427-z · Cited by 28
Altruistic or selfish? Responses when safety is threatened depend on childhood socioeconomic status
Li, H., Song, Y., & Xie, X. (2019) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2651 · Cited by 25
Contagious yawning is not a signal of empathy: no evidence of familiarity, gender or prosociality biases in dogs
Neilands, P., Claessens, S., Ren, I., Hassall, R., Bastos, A. P. M., & Taylor, A. H. (2020) · Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rspb.2019.2236 · Cited by 26
Are There Multiple Motivators for Helping Behavior in Rats?
Silva, P. R. R., Silva, R. H., Lima, R. H., Meurer, Y. D. S. R., Ceppi, B., & Yamamoto, M. E. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01795 · Cited by 26
“Empathy is the ability to (a) be affected by and share the emotional state of another; (b) assess the reasons for the other’s state; and (c) identify with the other, adopting their perspective (de Waal, 2008).”
Background
Violence, Displacement, and Support for Internally Displaced Persons: Evidence from Syria
Hartman, A., Morse, B. S., & Weber, S. (2021) · Journal of Conflict Resolution · doi:10.1177/00220027211011523 · Cited by 27
“The idea that empathy born of violence links violence to greater generosity across group boundaries is grounded in the work of Frans De Waal (2008), who identifies three processes that drive empathetic altruism.”
Background
The Positive Feedback Loop of Empathy and Interpersonal Synchronisation: Discussing a Theoretical Model and its Implications for Musical and Social Development
Tzanaki, P. (2022) · Music & Science · doi:10.1177/20592043221142715 · Cited by 25
“In addition to this process, de Waal (2007, 2008) argues that higher cognitive levels of empathy may be built upon automatic and affective empathic processes that rely on this core mechanism of perception-action coupling (the Russian Doll model).”
BackgroundInfluential
Prosocial behavior, social reward and affective state discrimination in adult male and female mice
Misiołek, K., Klimczak, M., Chrószcz, M., Szumiec, Ł., Bryksa, A., Przyborowicz, K., Parkitna, J. M. R., & Harda, Z. (2023) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-32682-6 · Cited by 25
Time preferences in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and humans (Homo sapiens)
Genty, É., Karpel, H., & Silberberg, A. M. (2012) · Animal Cognition · doi:10.1007/s10071-012-0540-8 · Cited by 25
Reading and Empathy
McCreary, J. J., & Marchant, G. J. (2016) · Reading Psychology · doi:10.1080/02702711.2016.1245690 · Cited by 26
Should Altruism, Solidarity, or Reciprocity be Used as Prosocial Appeals? Contrasting Conceptions of Members of the General Public and Medical Professionals Regarding Promoting Organ Donation
Guttman, N., Siegal, G., Appel-Doron, N., & Bar-On, G. (2016) · Journal of Communication · doi:10.1111/jcom.12267 · Cited by 27
Religion and prosocial behavior among the Indo-Fijians
Willard, A. K. (2017) · Religion Brain & Behavior · doi:10.1080/2153599x.2016.1267032 · Cited by 25
Amygdala–midbrain connectivity indicates a role for the mammalian parental care system in human altruism
Brethel-Haurwitz, K. M., O’Connell, K., Cardinale, E. M., Stoianova, M., Stoycos, S. A., Lozier, L. M., VanMeter, J. W., & Marsh, A. A. (2017) · Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1731 · Cited by 25

Authors: de Waal, F. B. M.
Affiliations: Living Links, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322;
Venue: Annual Review of Psychology
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Published: 2008-01-01
Volume: 59
Issue: 1
Pages: 279-300
ISSN: 0066-4308 (ISSN-L)
1545-2085
DOI: 10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093625
OpenAlex: W2134084792
Cited by: 2,483
References: 183
Citations by year: 2026: 131 · 2025: 138 · 2024: 165 · 2023: 144 · 2022: 176 · 2021: 191 · 2020: 139 · 2019: 216 · 2018: 177 · 2017: 165 · 2016: 130 · 2015: 154 · 2014: 127 · 2013: 103 · 2012: 87
FWCI: 8.18
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Annual Review of Psychology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords: empathy, altruism, evolution of empathy, perspective taking, kin selection, reciprocal altruism, emotional contagion, evolutionary psychology of emotion
MeSH terms: Affect, Altruism, Cooperative Behavior, Empathy, Biological Evolution, Humans, Social Behavior, Intention

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Putting the Altruism Back into Altruism: The Evolution of Empathy

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks