BABLab PI Patty Van Cappellen and former lab post-doc Dr. Kunalan Manokara co-chaired the full-day preconference, “Empathy: Approaches and Implications for a Divided World,” at the 2026 Association for Psychological Science Annual Convention in Barcelona, Spain.

Held on May 28, the preconference brought together more than 20 experts from different
disciplines and geographic regions. Through research presentations and posters, participants explored empathy’s role in early development, interpersonal relationships, and group dynamics, as well as the potential challenges and costs associated with empathic behavior across different contexts.

Patty also presented the keynote address, titled “For Better or Worse: The Role of Religion for Empathy and Intergroup Relations.”

The event was organized in partnership with The Love Consortium.