Empathy and perspective. Empathy [1] (cognitive empathy) is the ability to put yourself in someone's shoes and see things from their perspective. Not everyone h

Empathy and perspective. Empathy [1] (cognitive empathy) is the ability to put yourself in someone's shoes and see things from their perspective. Not everyone has the ability to empathize -- we often believe our level of empathy is like that of everyone else, but this is not the case. Cluster B personality types [2], those with Asperger's [3] or on the autistic spectrum, and some with ADHD lack the ability to empathize. Recent research out of Berkeley has show than medication can help those with ADHD access their Executive Function and gain their ability to empathize [4]. In one of the comments on [4], Dr Charles Parker describes empathy as a "two-step process": "Empathy is a higher order function, more evolved with effective PFC [prefrontal cortex] activity than sympathy. Why? Sympathy indicates a certain subjective, feeling level, ability to emotionally reach across the room and identify with the pain of another. The only problem for those practicing sympathy is that, more often than not, they only take that first identification step, and too often get stuck in the other person’s pain. They can’t leave, and become emotionally lost over there. Empathy, on the other hand, requires good PFC Executive Function, with a metacognitively active two step process: 1. Trial identification with the other, and 2. Return to one’s full self for objective management of the other’s challenges. Good next-step advice doesn’t often arise from sympathy, but does often arise from empathetic considerations more objectively managed outside of a purely emotional reaction." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_B_personality_disorders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_B_personality_disorder... [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome [4] http://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-and-relationships/adhd-impaired-empathy-and-dopamine/ http://adhdrollercoaster.org/adhd-and-relationships/adhd-imp...