Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia
In the present study, we investigated whether inter-individual differences in vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) would be associated with inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. To this end, we determined resting state HF-HRV in 90 individuals that also completed questi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00229/full |
| _version_ | 1818619984626057216 |
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| author | Alexander Lischke Rike Pahnke Anett Mau-Moeller Martin Behrens Hans J. Grabe Harald J. Freyberger Harald J. Freyberger Alfons O. Hamm Matthias Weippert |
| author_facet | Alexander Lischke Rike Pahnke Anett Mau-Moeller Martin Behrens Hans J. Grabe Harald J. Freyberger Harald J. Freyberger Alfons O. Hamm Matthias Weippert |
| author_sort | Alexander Lischke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the present study, we investigated whether inter-individual differences in vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) would be associated with inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. To this end, we determined resting state HF-HRV in 90 individuals that also completed questionnaires assessing inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. Our categorical and dimensional analyses revealed that inter-individual differences in HF-HRV were differently associated with inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. We found that individuals with high HF-HRV reported more empathy and less alexithymia than individuals with low HF-HRV. Moreover, we even found that an increase in HF-HRV was associated with an increase in empathy and a decrease in alexithymia across all participants. Taken together, these findings indicate that individuals with high HF-HRV are more empathetic and less alexithymic than individuals with low HF-HRV. These differences in empathy and alexithymia may explain why individuals with high HF-HRV are more successful in sharing and understanding the mental and emotional states of others than individuals with low HF-HRV. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T17:46:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-99079b0698764e6f9538325e2962c9ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T17:46:10Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-99079b0698764e6f9538325e2962c9ab2022-12-21T22:22:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-02-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.00229324567Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and AlexithymiaAlexander Lischke0Rike Pahnke1Anett Mau-Moeller2Martin Behrens3Hans J. Grabe4Harald J. Freyberger5Harald J. Freyberger6Alfons O. Hamm7Matthias Weippert8Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, GermanyInstitute of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, GermanyDepartment of Orthopaedics, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, GermanyInstitute of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, GermanyHELIOS Klinikum Stralsund, Stralsund, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, GermanyInstitute of Sport Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, GermanyIn the present study, we investigated whether inter-individual differences in vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) would be associated with inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. To this end, we determined resting state HF-HRV in 90 individuals that also completed questionnaires assessing inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. Our categorical and dimensional analyses revealed that inter-individual differences in HF-HRV were differently associated with inter-individual differences in empathy and alexithymia. We found that individuals with high HF-HRV reported more empathy and less alexithymia than individuals with low HF-HRV. Moreover, we even found that an increase in HF-HRV was associated with an increase in empathy and a decrease in alexithymia across all participants. Taken together, these findings indicate that individuals with high HF-HRV are more empathetic and less alexithymic than individuals with low HF-HRV. These differences in empathy and alexithymia may explain why individuals with high HF-HRV are more successful in sharing and understanding the mental and emotional states of others than individuals with low HF-HRV.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00229/fullsocial cognitionsocial interactionempathyalexithymiavagus nervehigh-frequency heart rate variability |
| spellingShingle | Alexander Lischke Rike Pahnke Anett Mau-Moeller Martin Behrens Hans J. Grabe Harald J. Freyberger Harald J. Freyberger Alfons O. Hamm Matthias Weippert Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia Frontiers in Psychology social cognition social interaction empathy alexithymia vagus nerve high-frequency heart rate variability |
| title | Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia |
| title_full | Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia |
| title_fullStr | Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia |
| title_short | Inter-individual Differences in Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Inter-individual Differences in Empathy and Alexithymia |
| title_sort | inter individual differences in heart rate variability are associated with inter individual differences in empathy and alexithymia |
| topic | social cognition social interaction empathy alexithymia vagus nerve high-frequency heart rate variability |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00229/full |
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