Nurturing the Seed of Infinite Potentialities in Every Child
Listed below are some quick facts about kindness and empathy.
How many of these facts did you know?
Fun Facts About
Kindness And Empathy
By Bisma Ali
Doing nice things for others boosts serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of satisfaction and well-being
(Proctor, 2017).
Humans begin exhibiting signs of empathy in social interactions during the second and third years of life. However, there is compelling evidence that prosocial behaviours can be displayed at an earlier age. For instance, infants as young as 12 months of age can begin to comfort victims of distress (Lesley University).
Kindness strengthens your heart physically and emotionally! Kindness releases the hormone oxytocin, which lowers blood pressure. As such, oxytocin is known as a ‘cardioprotective’ hormone
(Proctor, 2017).
Toddlers love to mimic emotions (especially of the adults around them). The development of empathy in toddlers largely stems from them observing and imitating the adults who care for them
(Poole et al., 2019).
Kindness is biologically wired into humans! Our nervous system is wired in a way that affective touch, (such as the kind or loving touch of someone we feel close to) activates different parts of the brain (the posterior insular cortex and anterior cingulate cortex). This is particularly important for infant development, and suggests that this neurological pathway is necessary for survival
(Karlin & Silva).
