Negar Tashakkori

Negar Tashakkori

Can we truly feel what others feel?

This question lies at the heart of my research interests. At the Social Brain Lab, I investigate how people perceive and respond to others’ pain in real-life social contexts.

Our project combines behavioral experiments with physiological measures—including electrodermal activity (EDA), electrocardiography (ECG), electromyography (EMG), and controlled electrical stimulation—to explore empathy not just as an emotional experience, but as a full-body physiological response. We aim to understand how humans share and process others’ experiences at both behavioral and bodily levels.

I hold a Master’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from Maastricht University, where I trained in EEG and fMRI techniques. Driven by a strong interest in social neuroscience and a desire to broaden my skills in physiological research methods, I pursued an additional internship at NIN to deepen my expertise and contribute to impactful research on the mechanisms of empathy.