One rhesus macaque grooming another, the primary way these monkeys act prosocially toward one another. Work with these animals helped University of Pennsylvania researcher Michael Platt and other scientists draw their conclusions about the function of the amygdala. Credit: Lauren Brent
The amygdala, at the front end of the brain’s temporal lobe, has long been associated with negative behaviors generally, and specifically with fear. But new research shows this collection of nuclei can also influence positive social functions like kindness and what might be called charitable giving in humans. This could have implications for people with autism, schizophrenia or anxiety-related disorders, Platt said.
“What we’re trying to do is both identify and understand the basic brain mechanism that allow...
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