Programmed Research Projects / Members
Project Leader
- Toshikazu Hasegawa (Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo)
Sub-project Leader
- Shigeru Watanabe (Professor Emeritus, Research Centre for Human Cognition, Keio University)
Secretary General
- Takefumi Kikusui (Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University)
Evaluation Committee members
- Yasuo Sakuma (President, University of Tokyo Health Sciences)
- Tetsuro Matsuzawa (Distinguished Professor, Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University)
- Hidehiko Takahashi (Associate Professor, Kyoto University)
X00 Steering Committee members
Project Leader
- Toshikazu Hasegawa (Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo)
Co-Project Leaders
- Shigeru Watanabe (Professor Emeritus, Research Centre for Human Cognition, Keio University)
- Tatsuya Kemeda (Professor, Department of Social Psychology, The University of Tokyo)
- Miho Murayama (Professor, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University)
- Hisashi Ohtsuki (Lecturer, School of Advanced Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies)
- Takefumi Kikusui (Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University)
- Tatsushi Onaka (Professor, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University)
- Shoji Komai (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology)
Subject A01: Comparative cognitive research on the Empathetic Systems
This research unit is aiming to uncover the trans-specific functional transitions in the empathetic systems, focusing on the phylogeny and ontogeny of that functions. Particularly this unit aims to understand the empathetic system specific to human by using comparative cognitive approach, leading up to contribute to understand the evolutionary origin of the empathetic systems.
Research Plan 1: Phylogeny of the Empathetic Systems
While the empathetic system is particularly developed in humans, some non-human animals also have it in primitive form suggesting evolutionary origin of the human empathy. This group will aim to clarify the phylogenic contingency giving rise to the empathetic systems, through comparative research with animals.
| Project Leader |  |
Shigeru Watanabe Professor Emeritus, Research Centre for Human Cognition, Keio University Comparative Cognitive Science LAB HP  |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Researcher |  |
Ei-ichi Izawa Associate Professor, Faculty of Letters, Keio University Comparative Cognitive Science LAB HP |
| Co-Researcher |  |
Kazuo Fujita Professor, Graduate school of Letters, Kyoto University Comparative Cognitive Science LAB HP |
Research Plan 2: Ontogeny of the Empathetic Systems
This research aims at clarifying the developmental pathway from emotional contagion to “human-specific” expression of sympathy. Furthermore, it also focuses on the development of this particular aspect in children with ASD. Through the developmental analysis of interactions between human perceptional /cognitive systems and social /cultural factors, we try to shed the new light on the origin of empathy.
| Project Leader |  |
Toshikazu Hasegawa Professor, Graduate school of Arts and Science, The University of Tokyo Evolutionary Psycology LAB HP |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Researcher |  |
Kazuhide Hashiya Associate Professor, Faculty of Human-Environment Studies, Kyushu University Comparative Developmental Psychology LAB HP |
| Co-Researcher |  |
Atsuko Saito Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Musashino University Comparative Cognitive Science LAB HP |
Research Plan 3: Understanding Roles of Empathy for Large-scale Cooperation in Human Societies
This research aims to understand roles of multiple facets of empathy for generation and sustenance of large-scale cooperation in human societies, and to identify their neural underpinnings through combining experimental games with functional brain mapping.
| Project Leader |  |
Tatsuya Kameda Professor, Department of Social Psychology, The University of Tokyo Science on Decision Making・Social Psychology LAB HP |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Researcher |  |
Toshio Yamagishi Adjunct Professor, Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy, Hitotsubashi University Experimental Social Science LAB HP |
| Co-Researcher |  |
Toko Kiyonari Associate Professor, School of Social Informatics, Aoyama Gakuin University Social Psychology LAB HP |
| Co-Researcher |  |
Satomi Higuchi Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University Cognitive Neuroscience LAB HP |
Subject B01: Evolutionary Models of the Empathetic Systems
This research unit is aiming to search for the evolutionary phylogeny of the gene clusters related to the empathetic systems. At the same time, this unit is aiming to provide information on possible related genes of a variety of animals for analyzing molecular and neural network of the empathetic systems. Further, the unit aims to construct the adaptation theory of the empathetic systems, to understand the universality and specificity of the empathetic systems in the evolutionary process, and particularly to elucidate the role of higher levels of the empathetic systems in the evolution of the sociocentric nature of humans.
Research Plan 4: Phylogenetic Group Analysis of the Genes regulating the Empathetic Systems
This research will carry out association studies of phenotypes and genotypes in a broad range of animals from birds through primates, with regard to the evolutionary background of the capacity for empathy. Through genome-wide genetic study and interspecies comparison of genetic arrays related to neurotransmission and hormonal transmission such as that of Oxytocin, it will aim to describe the phylogenic evolution of the empathetic systems.
| Project Leader |  |
Miho Murayama Professor, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University Behavioral Genetics LAB HP |
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| Co-Researcher |  |
Eiji Inoue Lecturer, Faculty of Science, Toho University (from Oct. 1, 2015) Anthropology LAB HP |
| Co-Researcher |  |
Akitsugu Konno Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science Animal Psychology LAB HP |
Research Plan 5: Adaptation Theory of Empathy
This research will aim to describe the behavioral-ecological conditions under which emotional contagion is adaptive, through theoretical models. It will also seek to describe the role that a higher-order form of empathy, such as the ability of imitation or conformity as well as that of inferring the internal states of others, played in the evolution of prosociality in humans.
| Project Leader |  |
Hisashi Ohtsuki Lecturer, School of Advanced Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies Mathematical Biology LAB HP |
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Subject C01: Neural and molecular basis of the Empathetic Systems
This research unit is aiming to uncover the neural and molecular basis of the empathetic systems in the brain. We also investigate the human specific neural systems involved in the empathetic systems which had been developed during the evolutional process by comparing the neural mechanisms between animals and humans.
Research Plan 6: Molecular Mechanisms for the Empathetic Systems
This group will discover the genetic basis of the empathetic systems, especially focusing on the role of the cingulate cortex in a model of the emotional contagion of pain in mice. Furthermore, we also aim to identify molecular mechanisms for the development of emotional contagion, using transgenic and virus vector manipulations of the oxytocin systems in the developmental period.
| Project Leader |  |
Takefumi Kikusui Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University Neuroethology LAB HP |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Researcher |  |
Kazutaka Mogi Associate Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University Neuroethology LAB HP |
Research Plan 7: Neuroendocrine Control of the Empathetic Systems
This research aims to clarify neuroendocrine control of the empathetic systems. We will especially focus on roles of neuropeptides including oxytocin and vasopressin in the control of emotional contagion in rats and mice by using a variety of methods such as molecular, physiological and behavioral manipulations.
| Project Leader |  |
Tatsushi Onaka Professor, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University Physiology LAB HP |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Researcher |  |
Yuki Takayanagi Lecturer, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University Molecular Biology LAB HP |
| Co-Researcher |  |
Masahide Yoshida Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University Molecular Neuroscience LAB HP |
Research Plan 8: Neural Networks regulating the Empathetic Systems
This research will carry out detailed statistical analysis of individual behavior images and neural activity, using the data thus derived in an attempt to describe not just individual emotional actions but also analysis of the relations between empathetic behavior and neural networks when multiple individuals are present.
| Project Leader |  |
Shoji Komai Associate Professor, Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology Neuroscience LAB HP |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Researcher |  |
Kazushi Ikeda Professor, Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology Mathematical Informatics LAB HP |