Empathy (the science of, a model for) (original) (raw)

2019, Dialogue and Discourse

Empathy is often thought of as being tantamount to altruism. However, this only touches upon its meaning. To be clear, there are numerous definitions of the empathy construct (i.e., empathy as emotional contagion, as the projection of one’s own thoughts and feelings, and as a fundamental aspect of social development). But most clinical and counseling psychologists have identified a core set of three distinct skills required in the truly empathic person: 1. the ability to share experience, 2. the cognitive ability to intuit, or mentalize (and perhaps understand) what another person is feeling, and 3. a “socially beneficial” intention to respond compassionately to that person’s distress.

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