Empathy, the Brain, and Gender

Studies: Both males and females tended to activate portions of the brain that register aspects of empathy when they saw someone in pain whom they liked and regarded as fair. Interestingly enough, studies showed that males found it easier to switch off their empathy for someone with whom they had no vested interest in remaining in a relationship, or who might be competitors of theirs, or who they judged to be out of line. (Baron-Cohen, Simon. The Science of Evil. NY:Basic Books, 2011, p. 34).