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> Like many past studies, this one gauges people’s level of “empathic concern” by asking them how strongly they agree or disagree with a series of seven stateme
by dorkwood 7y ago
> Like many past studies, this one gauges people’s level of “empathic concern” by asking them how strongly they agree or disagree with a series of seven statements such as “I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me.”
Does this really signify empathy? I consider myself empathetic, but I wouldn't agree with the above statement. If anything, having concerned feelings for someone solely because they're less fortunate than me seems a bit patronising. I wouldn't want someone to think I thought less of them just because they had less than I do.
This is why I'm skeptical of studies based on surveys in general -- by playing empathy chess, and wondering how it would make the other person feel if they knew how I was feeling about them, I'm placed into the "not empathetic" camp.
- rabidrat 7y ago> Does this really signify empathy? I consider myself empathetic, but I wouldn't agree with the above statement. You are noticing the difference between "compassion" (a divine emotion) and "pity" (its near enemy). Pity grants you a position above the pitied, while compassion positions you alongside/with the sufferer. These nuances are hard enough to suss out given unlimited information and attention. I agree it's all but impossible to gather equivalent distinctions from a rigid survey.
- noobermin 7y agoI'm busy, but it would be nice to see the questionaire, because the supplied example in the article could either signify pity or compassion.
- larnmar 7y agoI agree, empathy is about being able to see things from another’s point of view, not the feeling of “tender, concerned feelings”, and particularly not of restricting those feelings to those less fortunate than yourself.
- PavlovsCat 7y ago"cognitive empathy" (as it's called in this article) isn't all there is to empathy: http://www.danielgoleman.info/three-kinds-of-empathy-cognitive-emotional-compassionate/ http://www.danielgoleman.info/three-kinds-of-empathy-cogniti...