Without empathy, social interaction could not take place. It ensures that we can empathize with other people and understand their situation.
What is empathy?
Empathy is one of the most basic human qualities, without which it would be difficult to have a social community. The term “empathy”, derived from the Greek “empatheia” (empathy) stands for the ability of people to empathize with the feelings of others and to be able to roughly relate to them. Empathy is one of the most basic human qualities, without which it would be difficult to form a social community. According to the latest findings, the ability to empathize, which is already present from infancy, arises from neurobiological connections. In psychology, the term empathy is also often used to describe empathy, which is an important prerequisite for moral action. Especially in psychological and educational professions, the ability to empathize is an important prerequisite for the profession. It is also an important prerequisite between psychotherapist and client. Psychology distinguishes between empathy, which can lead to becoming too involved in the problems of others, and compassion, a positive concern for others.
Function and task
Empathy is one of the most important skills in social interaction between people. It is an innate ability, but its development is supported by early childhood experiences. Research shows that when people empathize with others, the same areas in the brain are activated as in their counterpart. So we can roughly feel from the outside what is going on in the other person’s head. However, this means that only those can empathize with others who can also perceive themselves and their feelings appropriately. All people have the ability to empathize from birth, but it can only develop optimally in an environment in which a positive approach to feelings is exemplified. Empathy is also considered the “intelligence of the heart. According to experts, however, some children develop only insufficient empathy because their parents no longer model sufficient feelings for them, but instead try to exclude negative feelings such as sadness. Even under optimal socialization conditions, however, people need a certain amount of time before they are able to recognize the feelings of others. The ability to empathize begins around the age of 18 months, when children start to distinguish between themselves and other people. This age is characterized by “egocentric empathy,” meaning children are able to show empathy but respond by taking actions they would want themselves to take in the situation. By age 4, children are already able to distinguish whether people deserve their compassion and only comfort people who they believe deserve that comfort. Compassion is not only positive for those who receive it, but also for those who give it to others. Various studies show that people who have empathy for others are happier and more content than unhappy people. Empathy even boosts the immune system and is even said to lower the risk of heart attacks. A special kind of empathy is compassion for oneself, where we have understanding and compassion for our own weaknesses. However, many people have a hard time with this. They show a lot of compassion to other people, but not to themselves.
Diseases and ailments
Empathy is basically a very positive trait. However, people who are overly empathic towards others are often unable to separate themselves sufficiently and allow themselves to be drawn into the suffering of others. Highly sensitive people can be particularly affected by this, as they have a very sensitive perception in relation to other people. If they do not pay enough attention to distance, they can be flooded by the feelings of others and no longer distinguish themselves sufficiently from them. If empathy is too strong, it can cause people to focus only on other people, neglecting themselves. They are then there for others to the point of self-sacrifice and run the risk of becoming chronically exhausted at some point as a result. Some people cannot feel sufficient empathy towards others due to illness. Autistic people cannot understand the emotions of those around them.They often also lack the ability to communicate socially. Apathetic people are often unable to respond to their environment; they frequently withdraw completely into themselves. This apathy can be triggered by dementia, in which the ability to perceive other people increasingly diminishes. Narcissists are often not very empathic; they have the capacity in principle, but choose not to use it. Empathy is very weak to not pronounced at all in psychopathy. People with this disorder often radiate an emotional coldness, show little empathy, and are unable to assess the consequences of their actions for other people. They tend not to follow rules and usually want to exercise power over others. They do not regret their actions and do not develop sufficient feelings of guilt.
