Seminal studies by Daniel Batson and Nancy Eisenberg have shown that people higher in empathy are more likely to help others in need, even when doing so cuts against their self-interest.Here are some of the ways that research has testified to the far-reaching importance of empathy. It is also a key ingredient of successful relationships because it helps us understand the perspectives, needs, and intentions of others. Having empathy doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll want to help someone in need, though it’s often a vital first step toward compassionate action.įor more: Read Frans de Waal’s essay on “ The Evolution of Empathy” and Daniel Goleman’s overview of different forms of empathy, drawing on the work of Paul Ekman.Įmpathy is a building block of morality-for people to follow the Golden Rule, it helps if they can put themselves in someone else’s shoes. Research has also uncovered evidence of a genetic basis to empathy, though studies suggest that people can enhance (or restrict) their natural empathic abilities. Empathy has been associated with two different pathways in the brain, and scientists have speculated that some aspects of empathy can be traced to mirror neurons, cells in the brain that fire when we observe someone else perform an action in much the same way that they would fire if we performed that action ourselves. Elementary forms of empathy have been observed in our primate relatives, in dogs, and even in rats. Studies suggest that people with autism spectrum disorders have a hard time empathizing.Įmpathy seems to have deep roots in our brains and bodies, and in our evolutionary history. “Cognitive empathy,” sometimes called “perspective taking,” refers to our ability to identify and understand other people’s emotions. Emotion researchers generally define empathy as the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.Ĭontemporary researchers often differentiate between two types of empathy: “Affective empathy” refers to the sensations and feelings we get in response to others’ emotions this can include mirroring what that person is feeling, or just feeling stressed when we detect another’s fear or anxiety. The term “empathy” is used to describe a wide range of experiences.
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