Empathy and Sensorimotor Simulation: insights from a EEG-based emotional facial expression processing study

This thesis investigates the emergence of the embodied cognition model and its impact on transforming the understanding of social cognition. It explores how this paradigm shift has contributed to the development of new approaches in affective and interpersonal neuroscience. Within this context, the thesis examines the foundations of empathy and sensorimotor simulation, emphasizing their connection through the concept of the embodied mind and the interplay between action and perception. Building on this framework, the thesis focuses on an EEG-based study that examines the role of empathy in processing emotional facial expressions, utilizing the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to quantify empathy. A comparison of models for processing emotional facial expressions is conducted, with particular attention given to the sensorimotor simulation model. The study’s findings are discussed, offering insights into the relationship between empathy and the brain’s processing of emotional facial expressions. Additionally, the thesis addresses the study’s limitations and their implications for future research in this domain.