A new study from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor shows that Americans' levels of empathy have dropped significantly in the last three decades.

Using a questionnaire called The Interpersonal Reactivity Index, which asks to what degree student respondents agree with statements like "I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me," researchers were able to ascertain that almost 75 percent of today's student have less empathy than students 30 years ago.

Scientists have long considered empathy an inherent trait, with infants barely a year old offering assistance and sharing their resources during lab tests. But a decline in empathy proves that even inborn tendencies can be profoundly impacted by social situations. The question now is what those empathy-depleting social situations are.