Neurobiological similarity and empathy play crucial roles in interpersonal communication

New research published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience provides evidence that higher empathy and neurobiological similarity both play a role in successful communication. However, people tend to rate the quality of their interactions higher when they perceive a sense of similarity with their communication partner, regardless of their actual neural similarities. Human beings are inherently social creatures. From casual conversations with strangers to deep bonds with close friends and family, our lives are filled with interactions. But what makes some of these interactions more suc...