empathy

Examples of empathy in the following topics:

• Altruism: Helping

  • The empathy-altruism hypothesis states that psychological altruism does exist and is evoked by the empathic desire to help someone who is suffering.
  • Distinguish among the social-exchange theory, the reciprocity norm, and the empathy-altruism hypothesis of altruism

• Socioemotional Development in Childhood

  • The development of empathy is a crucial part of emotional and social development in childhood.
  • Empathy helps a child develop positive peer relationships; it is affected by a child's temperament, as well as by parenting style.
  • Children raised in loving homes with affectionate parents are more likely to develop a sense of empathy and altruism, whereas those raised in harsh or neglectful homes tend to be more aggressive and less kind to others.

• Humanistic Therapy

  • Empathy is one of the most important aspects of humanistic therapy.
  • Without empathy, the therapist is no longer understanding the actions and thoughts of the client from the client's perspective, but is understanding strictly as a therapist, which defeats the purpose of humanistic therapy.
  • The task of reestablishing one's true identity is not an easy one, and the therapist must rely on the techniques of unconditional positive regard and empathy.
  • In client-centered therapy, a form of humanistic therapy, one of the goals is to establish a trusting relationship built on empathy and unconditional positive regard.

• Introduction to Personality Disorders

  • Antisocial personality disorder: A pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others, rooted in a lack of empathy.
  • Narcissistic personality disorder: A pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.

• Cluster B: Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders

  • They have a strong need for admiration, but lack feelings of empathy.
  • Symptoms of this disorder, as defined by the DSM-5, include significant impairments in self functioning (such as excessive reference to others for self-definition and self-esteem regulation; exaggerated self-appraisal; goal-setting based on gaining approval from others; personal standards that are unreasonably high; etc.) along with impairments in interpersonal functioning (such as lack of empathy; over- or underestimating one's own effect on others; superficial relationships that exist to serve self-esteem regulation; etc.).
  • This brain region relates to empathy, compassion, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning.

• Social Perception

  • This is crucial to concepts such as empathy.

• Prejudice

  • This contact (1) enhances knowledge about the outgroup, (2) reduces anxiety about intergroup contact, and (3) increases empathy and perspective taking.

• Cultural and Societal Influences on Adolescent Development

  • Peer groups offer members of the group the opportunity to develop social skills such as empathy, sharing, and leadership.

• Psychodynamic and Psychoanalytic Therapy

  • Developed by Carl Rogers, this method of therapy proposes that the function of the therapist is to extend empathy, warmth, and "unconditional positive regard" toward their clients. 

• Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders

  • The child diagnosed with CD often presents with a lack of empathy, or the ability to recognize the feelings of others.