Empathy
Empathy
Empathy (/ˈɛmpəθi/), from the Ancient Greek word empatheia meaning "physical affection or passion", is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position.
Etymology
The term empathy originated from the Greek word empatheia, which means "feeling into". It was later translated into German as Einfühlung and then into English as empathy in the early 20th century.
Definition
Empathy is often defined as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes". It involves understanding and sharing the feelings of another person, and it is often used in a psychological context.
Types of Empathy
There are three main types of empathy: cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassionate empathy.
- Cognitive Empathy refers to the ability to understand another person's perspective or mental state.
- Emotional Empathy, also known as affective empathy, refers to the ability to respond with an appropriate emotion to another's mental states.
- Compassionate Empathy or empathic concern refers to empathy that results in actions.
Related Terms
- Sympathy is a related term that refers to feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else's misfortune.
- Compassion is a response to the suffering of others that motivates a desire to help.
- Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for happiness of other human beings or animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual.
See Also
References
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Empathy
- Wikipedia's article - Empathy
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