Higher Negative Empathy in Children Is Associated with Lower Amygdala Activity When Witnessing Another Child’s Sadness

Children (N=32, Mage=9.29, SD=.92) with higher trait-like negative empathy had lower amygdala activity during a manipulated fMRI task in which participant children lost coins that other children could trade for prizes while the other children watched and texted their disappointment. There was no association between positive empathy and amygdala activity.