Which of the following best describes the concept of empathy?
|
em·pa·thy | \ ˈem-pə-thē
Show
Definition of empathy1 : the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner also : the capacity for this 2 : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it Sympathy vs. EmpathySympathy and empathy both refer to a caring response to the emotional state of another person, but a distinction between them is typically made: while sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful, empathy involves actively sharing in the emotional experience of the other person. Sympathy has been in use since the 16th century, and its greater age is reflected in its wider breadth of meanings, including “a feeling of loyalty” and “unity or harmony in action or effect.” It comes ultimately from the Greek sympathēs, meaning “having common feelings, sympathetic,” which was formed from syn- (“with, together with”) and páthos, “experience, misfortune, emotion, condition.” Empathy was modeled on sympathy; it was coined in the early 20th century as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”). First applied in contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology, empathy continues to have technical use in those fields that sympathy does not. What is the difference between empathy and compassion?Compassion and empathy both refer to a caring response to someone else’s distress. While empathy refers to an active sharing in the emotional experience of the other person, compassion adds to that emotional experience a desire to alleviate the person’s distress.
The distinction between compassion and empathy is frequently a topic of exploration.
Compassion is a much older word; it’s been part of the language since the 14th century, and comes ultimately from Latin com- and pati, meaning “to bear, suffer.” Empathy is a 20th century coinage modeled on sympathy as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”). It was first applied in contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology and continues to have technical use in those fields. Examples of empathy in a SentencePoetic empathy understandably seeks a strategy of identification with victims … — Helen Vendler, New Republic, 5 May 2003 This is tough love with a vengeance, but what a gruesome view of God's saints bereft of all empathy. — Sidney Callahan, Commonweal, 19 Apr. 2002 Enter a new inmate … a giant black man with a gift of preternatural empathy; he can literally suck the pain out of people. — Richard Corliss, Time, 13 Dec. 1999 But in all those years of young womanhood, my Do-Unto-Others empathy never extended beyond sharing a trolley seat. — Lois Mark Stalvey, The Education of a WASP, 1989 He felt great empathy with the poor. His months spent researching prison life gave him greater empathy towards convicts. See More Recent Examples on the Web Thankfully, the season is no less lucid in its observations or its sense of empathy. — Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2022 The pandemic thrust people’s relationship to work to the forefront and meant that employees started demanding a greater degree of empathy from their employers. — Paolo Confino, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2022 In addition to coercive practices used to glean information from suspects, researchers found, officers often demonstrate a lack of empathy when delivering death notifications to loved ones. — Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 6 Oct. 2022 Conducting is social work; a conductor is a master of collaboration, of empathy, of group psychology. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2022 How did your sociology background influence the story, to ensure a level of empathy? — Holly Jones, Variety, 12 Sep. 2022 Danica says her experiences give her a unique level of empathy with her constituents. — Good Housekeeping, 6 Sep. 2022 So when Hardaway saw Riley pointedly note in June how Lowry had to report in better shape for his second Heat season, there was a sense not only of been-there, done-that, but also of empathy. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Sep. 2022 But the judge said von Ehlinger demonstrated a lack of empathy for the victim and had a propensity to blame her. — CBS News, 31 Aug. 2022 See More These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'empathy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. First Known Use of empathy1909, in the meaning defined at sense 2 History and Etymology for empathyGreek empatheia, literally, passion, from empathēs emotional, from em- + pathos feelings, emotion — more at pathos Learn More About empathyStatistics for empathyCite this Entry “Empathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2022. More Definitions for empathy em·pa·thy | \ ˈem-pə-thē \ Kids Definition of empathy: a being aware of and sharing another person's feelings, experiences, and emotions also : the ability for this em·pa·thy | \ ˈem-pə-thē \ Medical Definition of empathy1 : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it 2 : the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner also : the capacity for empathy Which of the following best describes the use of empathy in customer service?In customer service, empathy means that you're able to connect with and affirm a customer's feelings, even if you're unable to resolve the problem. Providing empathy in customer service means that you allow the customer to feel heard by acknowledging their feelings. Doing so helps to enhance the experience.
What empathy really means?So, what is empathy? It's the ability to understand another person's thoughts and feelings in a situation from their point of view, rather than your own. It differs from sympathy, where one is moved by the thoughts and feelings of another but maintains an emotional distance.
What is a good example of empathy?For example, you likely smile and take the trouble to remember people's names: that's empathy in action. Giving people your full attention in meetings, being curious about their lives and interests, and offering constructive feedback are all empathic behaviors, too. Practice these skills often.
What are 5 examples of empathy?It's empathy.. You're making total sense.. I understand how you feel.. You must feel so hopeless.. I just feel such despair in you when you talk about this.. You're in a tough spot here.. I can feel the pain you feel.. The world needs to stop when you're in this much pain.. I wish you didn't have to go through that.. |
