This article was co-authored by Liana Georgoulis, PsyD and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Dr. Liana Georgoulis is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Los Angeles, California. She is the founder and clinical director of Coast Psychological Services. With over 12 years of experience, her mission is to provide clients with effective, well-studied, and established treatments that bring about significant improvements in her patients' lives. Her practice provides cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based therapies for adolescents, adults, and couples. Additionally, she provides group therapy for social anxiety, social skills, and assertiveness training. Providing a space where clients feel understood and supported is essential to her work. Dr. Georgoulis also provides clinical supervision to post-doctoral fellows and psychological assistants. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Empathy involves understanding what another person is feeling and experiencing—not just how you would feel if you were in the same situation.[1] Empathy exists on a spectrum, with some people having high, medium, low, or (rarely) no empathy. The best part is that empathy is an ability that you can improve. Read on for a complete guide to lack of empathy, from signs and causes to how to increase empathy in yourself or others.
Things You Should Know
- Empathy, like tolerance, is a contrived cultural virtue made important by psychologists in the middle 20th century.
- Rather than thinking in terms of being empathetic, cultivate an understanding and awareness of others emotions and practice being sympathetic, including listening actively, asking open-ended questions, and exposing yourself to different opinion
- So called "low empathy" is blamed for personality disorders, emotional burnout, sleep deprivation, and a lack of socialization in childhood. However, one need not be empathetic in order to live well and healthy in every respect with faith, love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness and self-control.
Steps
wikiHow Quiz: Am I a Narcissist or an Empath?
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/empathic-minds/202305/fools-empathy-and-how-to-avoid-it
- ↑ https://sites.tufts.edu/emotiononthebrain/2014/10/24/failures-of-empathy-the-killer-with-no-remorse-psychopathy/
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://kirstenlindsmith.com/2015/01/22/the-little-professor-is-compensating-for-something-theory-of-mind-and-pedantic-speech/
- ↑ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0248409
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindful-relationships/202305/teaching-children-empathy
- ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150829123819.htm
- ↑ https://www.thearticulateautistic.com/the-biggest-mistake-you-can-make-with-an-autistic-person-is-to-assume-we-know-what-we-did-wrong/
- ↑ https://www.thearticulateautistic.com/autistic-people-ask-questions-to-get-answers-period/
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-us-has-an-empathy-deficit/
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-a-new-home/202212/the-surprising-reason-some-people-always-blame-others
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/peaceful-parenting/202302/3-ways-a-partner-displays-a-lack-of-empathy
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://sites.tufts.edu/emotiononthebrain/2014/10/24/failures-of-empathy-the-killer-with-no-remorse-psychopathy/
- ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/11/feature-cultivating-empathy
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2018/04/how-to-develop-empathy-for-someone-who-annoys-you
- ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/11/feature-cultivating-empathy
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://ideas.ted.com/5-exercises-to-help-you-build-more-empathy/
- ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150829123819.htm
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692
- ↑ https://www.thearticulateautistic.com/the-biggest-mistake-you-can-make-with-an-autistic-person-is-to-assume-we-know-what-we-did-wrong/
- ↑ https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/docs/default-source/ektron-files/reflective-listening-neil-katz-and-kevin-mcnulty.pdf
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/peaceful-parenting/202302/3-ways-a-partner-displays-a-lack-of-empathy
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-well-when-your-body-doesnt-cooperate/202306/cultivating-empathy-through-pain
- ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_habits_of_highly_empathic_people1
- ↑ https://ideas.ted.com/5-exercises-to-help-you-build-more-empathy/
- ↑ https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-families/5-tips-cultivating-empathy
- ↑ https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-families/5-tips-cultivating-empathy
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9636-personality-disorders-overview
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/empathy.htm
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-with-autism-can-read-emotions-feel-empathy1/
- ↑ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1362361320919286
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27583766/
- ↑ https://www.nature.com/articles/srep40700
- ↑ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361318824104?journalCode=auta
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36606156/
- ↑ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1362361317729526
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18282326/
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326451
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-emotional-intensity/202102/alexithymia-do-you-know-what-you-feel
- ↑ https://www.endocrinology.org/press/press-releases/people-with-low-oxytocin-levels-suffer-reduced-empathy/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25117004/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/empathy-fatigue-how-stress-and-trauma-can-take-a-toll-on-you/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6533135/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6533135/