Which term refers to the ability to look at a situation from another persons perspective?

em·​pa·​thy | \ ˈem-pə-thē

Which term refers to the ability to look at a situation from another persons perspective?
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Definition of empathy

1 : the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner also : the capacity for this

2 : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it

Sympathy vs. Empathy

Sympathy and empathy both refer to a caring response to the emotional state of another person, but a distinction between them is typically made: while sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful, empathy involves actively sharing in the emotional experience of the other person.

Sympathy has been in use since the 16th century, and its greater age is reflected in its wider breadth of meanings, including “a feeling of loyalty” and “unity or harmony in action or effect.” It comes ultimately from the Greek sympathēs, meaning “having common feelings, sympathetic,” which was formed from syn- (“with, together with”) and páthos, “experience, misfortune, emotion, condition.” Empathy was modeled on sympathy; it was coined in the early 20th century as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”). First applied in contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology, empathy continues to have technical use in those fields that sympathy does not.

What is the difference between empathy and compassion?

Compassion and empathy both refer to a caring response to someone else’s distress. While empathy refers to an active sharing in the emotional experience of the other person, compassion adds to that emotional experience a desire to alleviate the person’s distress.

… the story of Nellie Bly, the first female investigative reporter, who not only demanded justice from powerful institutions, but also insisted on dignity and compassion for the most vulnerable citizens. — The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2022

Blonde clearly wants us to feel for Norma Jeane, but it dwells on her pain so obsessively … that the movie's empathy feels like another form of exploitation. — Justin Chang, NPR, 23 Sept. 2022

The distinction between compassion and empathy is frequently a topic of exploration.

By empathy I mean feeling the feelings of other people. So if you’re in pain and I feel your pain—I am feeling empathy toward you. If you’re being anxious, I pick up your anxiety. If you’re sad and I pick up your sadness, I’m being empathetic. And that’s different from compassion. Compassion means I give your concern weight, I value it. I care about you, but I don’t necessarily pick up your feelings. … [I]f I feel compassion for you, I’ll be invigorated. I’ll be happy and I’ll try to make your life better. — Paul Bloom, quoted in Vox, 16 Jan. 2019

Compassion is a much older word; it’s been part of the language since the 14th century, and comes ultimately from Latin com- and pati, meaning “to bear, suffer.” Empathy is a 20th century coinage modeled on sympathy as a translation of the German Einfühlung (“feeling-in” or “feeling into”). It was first applied in contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology and continues to have technical use in those fields.

Examples of empathy in a Sentence

Poetic empathy understandably seeks a strategy of identification with victims … — Helen Vendler, New Republic, 5 May 2003 This is tough love with a vengeance, but what a gruesome view of God's saints bereft of all empathy. — Sidney Callahan, Commonweal, 19 Apr. 2002 Enter a new inmate … a giant black man with a gift of preternatural empathy; he can literally suck the pain out of people. — Richard Corliss, Time, 13 Dec. 1999 But in all those years of young womanhood, my Do-Unto-Others empathy never extended beyond sharing a trolley seat. — Lois Mark Stalvey, The Education of a WASP, 1989 He felt great empathy with the poor. His months spent researching prison life gave him greater empathy towards convicts. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Not because of any bug rights activism or empathy, but because my feelings about them exist somewhere between annoyance (ants, spiders, bees) and terror (anything fast, crawly and gross). Damon Young, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2022 There were two palpable emotions inside the AdventHealth Training Center after the Orlando Magic’s practice on Friday: excitement and empathy. Khobi Price, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2022 Trump also drew criticism for his responses to natural disasters, which often failed to convey empathy. Sara Burnett, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022 Trump also drew criticism for his responses to natural disasters, which often failed to convey empathy. Sara Burnett, ajc, 30 Sep. 2022 But for the most part, Zuabi says, people around the world have responded to Little Amal with warmth and empathy. Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 28 Sep. 2022 Finding the right solution will require statesmanship and empathy, beginning with an acknowledgement that a situation globally caused must also have a globally just and equitable solution. Kausea Natano, Time, 28 Sep. 2022 Democracy and diplomacy both require empathy because both require competing parties to feel that the context gives them a fair chance at prevailing. Heather Havrilesky, WSJ, 28 Sep. 2022 At this point, employees are ready for bosses to step in with assistance and empathy. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'empathy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of empathy

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 2

History and Etymology for empathy

Greek empatheia, literally, passion, from empathēs emotional, from em- + pathos feelings, emotion — more at pathos

Learn More About empathy

Statistics for empathy

Cite this Entry

“Empathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy. Accessed 14 Oct. 2022.

More Definitions for empathy

em·​pa·​thy | \ ˈem-pə-thē \

Kids Definition of empathy

: a being aware of and sharing another person's feelings, experiences, and emotions also : the ability for this

em·​pa·​thy | \ ˈem-pə-thē \

Medical Definition of empathy

1 : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it

2 : the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner also : the capacity for empathy

Which term refers to the ability to look at a situation from another person's perspective?

Empathy may be defined as an accurate understanding of the perspective or the experience of someone else. To be empathic would mean, to some extent, seeing another's perspective (both intellectual and emotional) and having some understanding of the legitimacy of that perspective.

What is a person's perspective?

Perspective is the way individuals see the world. It comes from their personal point of view and is shaped by life experiences, values, their current state of mind, the assumptions they bring into a situation, and a whole lot of other things. Reality can be different things.

When you have the ability to put yourself in another person's position and understand that person's point of view you have?

According to Hodges and Myers in the Encyclopedia of Social Psychology, “Empathy is often defined as understanding another person's experience by imagining oneself in that other person's situation: One understands the other person's experience as if it were being experienced by the self, but without the self actually ...

How can you see things from another perspective?

3 counter intuitive ways to take on another person's point of....
Improving perspective taking by watching a movie or TV show..
Using your imagination to consider a situation from a multitude of viewpoints..
Drawing from your real-world experience to think about an encounter differently..