“Love thy neighbor” is preached from many a pulpit. But new research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that the highly religious are less motivated by compassion when helping a stranger than are atheists, agnostics and less religious people.
In three experiments, social scientists found that compassion consistently drove less religious people to be more generous. For highly religious people, however, compassion was largely unrelated to how generous they were,...
The results challenge a widespread assumption that acts of generosity and charity are largely driven by feelings of empathy and compassion, researchers said.
About 900 pupils aged between five and 18 in six countries completed a video course and engaged in discussions about it afterwards.
Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of others – is largely considered to be something we develop through childhood and our life experiences.
Pupils were rated by teachers on empathy, behaviour and other characteristics on a scale of 1-10 before the programme began, and again five and 10 weeks later, with the average empathy score rising from 5.55 to 7 during that period.
“We need to lead with empathy and validation as much as possible,” she said. “Really going into it with active listening, really trying to understand and create space to allow people to open up and allow ourselves to really feel like we don’t have to censor what’s going on.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text the 988 Suicide Hotline at any time of the day if you just need someone to talk to.
Building company culture and improving employee retention have been the top objectives driving corporate responsibility for two consecutive years, according to Springfield Business Journal’s 2024 Economic Growth Survey. As a leader, empathy is a powerful tool in your toolkit to drive results in these two areas. Defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, empathy can go a long way toward fostering a sense of belonging and trust among your team members.
When employees feel understood and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work. And when people are engaged at work, you start to see higher productivity, better customer ratings and reduced turnover. Let’s talk about what makes empathy easy for some, harder for others, and why it’s important to include in your skillset.
Watch this episode to learn about the evolution of empathy - spanning visual art to cutting-edge neuroscience.
Dr. Susan Lanzoni is a writer and historian of psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. She is also the author of Empathy: A History. In this episode, she unpacks one of the primary questions of empathy: How can the self understand the other?
00:00 Preview 00:37 Introduction 00:54 About Susan Lanzoni, PhD 02:35 How the meaning of empathy has evolved 06:42 The origin story of empathy involves art 09:51 Aesthetic empathy, emotional empathy, and cognitive empathy 13:42 The neuroscience of empathy 17:04 How empathy “draws a border but also builds a bridge” 22:22 The continuum from pity to empathy and the tension of lived experiences 26:21 Doctors Kenneth & Mamie Clark and "The Doll Test" 34:48 The benefits of purposeful empathy and the importance of empathy training 37:12 Susan’s next empathy journey: Exploring all the ways empathy is expressed and felt 42:21 Susan Lanzoni’s Purposeful Empathy Story board/significance-doll-test/
As long as we remain trapped in cycles of hostility and misinformation, political division will continue to deepen. But by focusing on empathy, we may be able to see past our differences and find the common ground necessary for a more unified, cooperative society.
Empathy is more than just a nice-to-have quality in political conversations—it’s a powerful tool for change. By fostering understanding, reducing hostility, and encouraging persuasion, empathy-driven dialogue can help us transcend the polarized landscape we find ourselves in today. In a world where conflict entrepreneurs thrive on division, it’s time to turn the tables and create a movement for cooperation and understanding.
In a world that's more connected than ever, why does it feel like we're drifting further apart? This powerful documentary dives deep into the empathy deficit that’s sweeping across our modern society. Explore the science behind empathy, how it's developed, and why it's fading fast in our fast-paced, digitally-driven world. Discover how the lack of empathy is impacting our health, relationships, communities, and even our global culture.
Through compelling stories, expert insights, and real-life experiences, "The Empathy Deficit" reveals the hidden costs of living in an empathy-starved society and challenges viewers to reconnect with what truly makes us human. Learn actionable strategies to cultivate empathy, foster genuine human connections, and rebuild a world where understanding and kindness prevail.
Join us on this journey to rediscover empathy—one of the most vital traits we need to heal and thrive as a society.
Subscribe for more eye-opening documentaries on societal challenges, human behavior, and the power of empathy!
With the complexities of hybrid work models, empathetic leadership rises as a crucial strategy, fostering a culture of resilience and transformation that not only meets today’s challenges but paves the way for future innovation and sustained success.
A new study reveals that people across 12 countries and five continents perceive wisdom through two key dimensions: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. Reflective orientation includes logical thinking and emotion control, while socio-emotional awareness focuses on empathy and social context.
These dimensions consistently influence how individuals judge wisdom in leaders, scientists, and others. The findings highlight the universal principles that shape perceptions of wisdom and their implications for leadership and education.
Over the last two years I worked towards completing the Empathy Center Facilitation training course on-line and I received my certification as a trainer. This consisted of over 60 hours of instruction and practice.
Last week the opportunity came up for me to teach the introductory class in-person at the Santa Barbara campus. The core of the in-person class is the same as the on-line, but the in-person one has the following enhancements..
according to Dr. Peter Sear “Empathic Coaching” is on the ascension.
In his book Empathic Leadership: Lessons from Elite Sport, he explores seven aspects of empathy. Each one illustrates stories from male and female head coaches of teams competing at the highest levels of nine different team sports. The result is an authentic portrayal of what it takes to become an empathic leader.
Numerous research studies link mindfulness training to improved empathy. However, few studies focus on the mediating factors of empathy. This work has three objectives: (a) to analyze the possible mediation of mindfulness as a feature in this relation, (b) to analyze the mindfulness factors that mediate in the increase of empathy and (c) to analyze the moderating role of gender.
Watch this episode to learn how empathy can become a multi-generational trait and how to cultivate empathy in teenagers.
Dr. Jessica Stern is a developmental psychologist whose work explores parent-child social-emotional development. In this episode, she speaks about the findings of a 25-year study that examined empathy development across three generations. She also discusses how peer groups and social media impact the mental health of teens.
00:00 Preview 00:42 Introduction 01:00 About Dr. Jessica Stern 02:27 Why is empathy so important for children and teenagers? 06:49 The importance of "serve and return" interactions starting in infancy 10:08 The "Still Face Experiment” - How disengagement impacts children’s emotional development 15:25 Why do teenagers feel the desperate need to belong? 18:27 Strategies for parents to manage how their teens consume social media 23:16 Observing empathy in action in Jessica’s research 28:15 Empathy across three generations - Exploring Jessica’s research 33:21 How to break un-empathic intergenerational patterns 34:59 Ways to break toxic Intergenerational cycles 41:25 Holding space and reflective listening 46:10 Jessica Stern’s Purposeful Empathy Story
As a consultant and researcher in the leadership space, I have witnessed firsthand both the impacts of strong connection and empathy, as well as the consequences of their absence. I have come to believe that a leader's ability to connect with and understand others is paramount to their success.
Today we will explore why developing connection and empathy should be at the top of every leader's priority list.
The report, based on the survey of over 42,000 employees worldwide along with HR leaders, and executives, says 'empathy' needs to be at the forefront of effective leadership strategies for companies. Highlighting the pivotal role of 'empathy' in boosting employee engagement and loyalty, the report says that employees are six times more likely to be engaged when their leaders demonstrate genuine empathy and not merely as 'understanding'. The empathy needs to be backed by actions taken for addressing employee needs, says the report..
The data from the survey, however, suggest a gap between perception and reality. It found that while 59 per cent of employees acknowledge that their leaders express empathy, other 41 per cent feel these gestures lack meaningful follow-through.
As a distinguished Harvard-educated historian of psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, she is a bona fide empathy expert, whose book,Empathy: A History, offers a sweeping and compelling exploration of empathy's evolution - tracing its origin and transformation over more than a century. It also won a Cheiron Best Book prize.
In it, she shares how the concept of empathy began as Einfühlung (translated from German to mean ‘in-feeling’), a term used in psychological aesthetics to describe how spectators projected their feelings onto objects of art and nature. Meaning, back in the day, empathy was an entirely subjective experience.
by Judith Orloff Empathic listening is a way to help heal others.
Empathic listening is very different from talking or even active listening.
By following the keys of empathic listening, both parties can share positive energy with each other.
Empathic listening is a way to help heal others through the quality of your presence and attention. You consciously give your time, focus, and compassion to someone who needs to be heard. You slow down to be fully in the moment without distractions. No checking messages, being on the internet, watching television, scanning the room, or taking calls.
Over the past four years, I’ve interviewed nearly 200 guests on my podcast to discuss the power of empathy - between humans. This week’s episode took me in a new direction.
Lori Gruen, PhD is a philosopher, ecofeminist, and leading voice in critical animal studies at Wesleyan University. Her groundbreaking work invites us to reconsider our relationships with the “more-than-human” world and advocates for a radical transformation in how we interact with animals.
In her book, Entangled Empathy: An Alternative Ethic for Our Relationships with Animals, she argues that “rather than focusing on animal rights, we ought to work to make our relationships with animals right by empathetically responding to their needs, interests, desires, vulnerabilities, hopes, and unique perspectives.”
Misconceptions about autism and empathy are common. Autistic people are sometimes said to lack empathy (the ability to feel along with others) and/or sympathy (the ability to feel for others). While this stereotype is often used to describe all autistic people, these challenges are not experienced by everyone on the spectrum.
This article looks at autism and empathy, and what the research says about how autistic people experience this emotion. Autism, Empathy, and Sympathy Research into the link between autism, empathy, and sympathy has evolved over the past 40 years. Initially, it was believed that a lack of empathy and sympathy was a universal trait of autism, but more recent research indicates that this varies among individuals diagnosed with autism.
How Autism May Affect Empathy and Sympathy
Misconceptions about autism and empathy are common. Autistic people are sometimes said to lack empathy (the ability to feel along with others) and/or sympathy (the ability to feel for others). While this stereotype is often used to describe all autistic people, these challenges are not experienced by everyone on the spectrum.
This article looks at autism and empathy, and what the research says about how autistic people experience this emotion.
Autism, Empathy, and Sympathy Research into the link between autism, empathy, and sympathy has evolved over the past 40 years. Initially, it was believed that a lack of empathy and sympathy was a universal trait of autism, but more recent research indicates that this varies among individuals diagnosed with autism.
Empathy allows leaders to connect with their employees on a deeper level, fostering an environment where people feel valued and understood. It involves actively listening to team members, acknowledging their feelings, and responding with compassion. This approach can lead to improved morale, increased productivity, and reduced turnover.
Improved Employee Engagement: When employees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. Empathetic leaders create a supportive atmosphere where individuals are encouraged to contribute their best work. This results in higher job satisfaction and a greater sense of loyalty to the organization.
Journalist Bruce Grierson asks, “What percent of people, at the end of a conversation, say they felt ‘heard’? A study recently published in Frontiers in Science answered the question: 5%. Only in one in 20 conversations do we feel genuinely heard at the end. We are really not very good at listening to each other.”
In recent years listening has often been belittled. There’s a popular message that if “good” people (i.e. my side) listen to the other side, rather than shutting them down, that just lets them get away with the harms they cause. Listening to the opposing political camp is called “self-flagellation” and “political correctness.” And we’re reminded that listening is too demanding and is a reflection of privilege.
But listening is not solely civil or privileged. It’s also one of the most ancient and effective ways to connect with other humans and, in many cases, even influence them. Whether you’re looking for more fulfilling relationships, or to create broader social change, listening is a powerful strategy.
Gen-AI and the Amazing Maze of Empathy explores the complex landscape of empathy definitions and its importance in our interconnected world.
The authors, in collaboration with AI and empathy experts, propose a first principles definition of empathy comprising six core principles: experiential space holding, listening and reformulation, perspective-taking, transparency and intention, means to an end, and ethical considerations.
This approach aims to break down empathy into discrete, programmable behaviors for AI applications. The post highlights the challenges of defining and measuring empathy while emphasizing its crucial role in fostering understanding and connection in an increasingly individualistic society.
To get content containing either thought or leadership enter:
To get content containing both thought and leadership enter:
To get content containing the expression thought leadership enter:
You can enter several keywords and you can refine them whenever you want. Our suggestion engine uses more signals but entering a few keywords here will rapidly give you great content to curate.
Your new post is loading...
