Everything that makes us “human” is thought to be contained in a part of our brains the size of a billiard ball.Researchers who study the brain say they think they have found the part of it that sets us apart from other primates.
Putting ourselves in others’ shoes, or understanding what others may be thinking, is what scientists consider to be thebasis of socialization, which is what makes us human. We can feel empathy and sympathy for others. Humans also have asense of humor and can detect when other people are being sarcastic or-at times-deceptive.
Dr. Donald Stuss, one of the world’s experts on the brain, found that these functions are all concentrated inside asmall region within the frontal lobes.
It has long been known that patients with frontal lobe damage often have problems empathizing with other people. Studies on serial killers have shown that many of them sustained severe damage to the frontal lobes of their brains.
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