Obhi observed that a neural process known as “mirroring” functions differently in the two groups. Mirroring, which is considered instrumental in empathy, typically occurs when a person observes someone else doing an action; for instance, crying. The neural pathways associated with crying light up in the brain of the viewer, as though his or her brain is recognizing what crying feels like. It’s the same mechanism that makes you wince when you see someone else stub their toe. To measure the mirroring response, Obhi and his team had subjects watch a video of a hand squeezing a rubber ball. Obhi
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