How it helps strengthen our relationships
Verywell / Bailey Mariner
Empathizing with others is essential forhealthy relationshipsand communication.
Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they are feeling.
It permits people to understand the emotions that others are feeling.
Verywell / Bailey Mariner
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Types of Empathy
Empathy can come in different forms, depending on the situations.
Somatic Empathy
Somatic empathy involves having a physical reaction in response to what someone else is experiencing.
People sometimes physically experience what another person is feeling.
This is related to what psychologists refer to as thetheory of mindor thinking about what other people are thinking.
Empathy vs. ## The Many Benefits of Empathy
Being able to experience empathy has many beneficial uses.
It’s the ability that helps us see and feel what others might be experiencing.
Because we relate to them, we can then respond in ways that foster stronger relationships.
It Strengthens your Relationships
Empathy allows you to build social connections with others.
By understanding what people are thinking and feeling, you are able to respond appropriately in social situations.
Research has shown that havingsocial connectionsis important for both physical and psychological well-being.
It Compels Us to Help Others
Empathy promotes helping behaviors.
Impact of Empathy
Your ability to experience empathy can impact your relationships.
Can You Have Too Much Empathy?
Having a great deal of empathy makes you concerned for the well-being and happiness of others.
This can lead to empathy fatigue.
You might also feel numb or powerless, isolate yourself, and have a lack of energy.
Empathy fatigue is a concern in certain situations, such as whenacting as a caregiver.
Factors That Can Influence Empathy
Not everyone experiences empathy in every situation.
Essentially, it boils down to the age-old relative contributions ofnature and nurture.
On the other hand, people are also socialized by their parents, peers, communities, and society.
This can result in behaviors that seem uncaring or sometimes even hurtful.
For instance, people with low affective empathy have higher rates ofcyberbullying.
A lack of empathy is also one of the defining characteristics ofnarcissistic personality disorder.
A few reasons why people sometimes lack empathy include cognitive biases, dehumanization, and victim-blaming.
Cognitive Biases
Sometimes the way people perceive the world around them is influenced bycognitive biases.
These biases can make it difficult to see all the factors that contribute to a situation.
This is particularly common when other people are physically distant.
Otheringis a way of excluding people from the in-group, which can then contribute to dehumanization.
This tendency stems from the need to believe that the world is a fair and just place.
What Causes Empathy?
Human beings are certainly capable of selfish, even cruel, behavior.
A quick scan of the news quickly reveals numerous unkind, selfish, and heinous actions.
The question, then, is why don’t we all engage in such self-serving behavior all the time?
What is it that causes us to feel another’s pain andrespond with kindness?
Several different theories have been proposed to explain why people experience empathy.
Neuroscientific Explanations
Studies have shown that specificareas of the brainplay a role in how empathy is experienced.
More recent approaches focus on the cognitive and neurological processes that lie behind empathy.
Research suggests that there are important neurobiological components to the experience of empathy.
This can involve feeling empathy for both real people and imaginary characters.
Experiencing empathy for fictional characters allows people to have a range of emotional experiences that might otherwise be impossible.
Empathy leads to helping behavior, which benefits social relationships.
Humans are naturally social creatures.
Things that aid in our relationships with other people benefit us as well.
When people experience empathy, they are more likely to engage inprosocial behaviorsthat benefit other people.
Things such asaltruismandheroismare also connected to feeling empathy for others.
Tips for Practicing Empathy
Fortunately, empathy is a skill that you could learn and strengthen.
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