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Updated: Mar 27, 2026
08:38
Extraction and Analysis of Cortisol from Human and Monkey Hair
Published on: January 24, 2014
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Examining the relation between empathy and hair cortisol levels.
Tamar Kadosh-Laor1, Liat Israeli-Ran1, Liat Zelikovich-Moyal1
1Psychology Department, Ben Gurion University in the Negev, Israel.
Journal of Psychiatric Research
|March 25, 2026
Summary
Chronic stress, measured by hair cortisol, is linked to personal distress in mothers, but not cognitive empathy or empathic concern. This highlights the complex relationship between stress and distinct empathy components.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Empathy is crucial for social interactions and well-being.
- The impact of chronic stress on empathy is not well understood, with most research focusing on acute stress.
- Mothers were studied due to their caregiving role and associated stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between chronic stress and different components of empathy.
- To examine hair cortisol levels as a biomarker for chronic stress in relation to empathy.
Main Methods:
- 42 mothers provided hair samples for cortisol analysis.
- Participants completed online questionnaires assessing cognitive empathy, empathic concern, and personal distress.
- Hair cortisol levels served as a biomarker for chronic stress.
Main Results:
- Maternal hair cortisol levels were significantly predicted by personal distress.
- Higher chronic stress was associated with greater personal distress when witnessing others' emotions.
- No significant associations were found between hair cortisol and empathic concern or cognitive empathy.
Conclusions:
- Chronic stress, indicated by hair cortisol, is complexly related to empathy components.
- Personal distress, a self-focused emotional response, is linked to higher stress levels in mothers.
- Distinct components of empathy may differentially influence physiological stress responses.
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