Researchers from the University of Birmingham in Britain conducted an experiment to test validity of the phrase, "I feel your pain." Led by psychologist Stuart Derbyshire, the team asked 123 college students to view pictures and videos of painful situations, such as a person breaking a bone or receiving an injection. Nearly all the participants said they experienced some sort of emotional reaction to at least one of the stimuli. One-third, however, claimed to have had a sensory reaction, as well. They reported pain in the same site as the injury in the picture. The researchers then used functional magnetic resonance imaging to further explore the connection and discovered heightened activity in the pain-sensing brain regions of those who experienced the physical reactions, meaning the physical reactions were not imagined. Researchers concluded that about one in three people experience empathetic physical pain when they see someone else in distress.
-compiled by Surabhi Bhatt
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