Discussion about the Definition of Empathy

2024-12-14 - Jodie Jensen Definition

Transcript

https://otter.ai/u/jZyrmun4fEPtVk0BilKbiaJ036E?view=transcript

Edwin Rutsch and Jody discuss the concept of empathy, emphasizing the need for clear, accessible definitions. Edwin introduces his holistic model of empathy, which includes self-empathy, other-oriented empathy, and mutual empathy within a group context. Sam from Arbinger Institute defines empathy as acknowledging another's inner reality and being affected by it. They explore the relationship between empathy and compassion, highlighting the dangers of sympathetic compassion and the importance of mutual empathy. Jody shares a personal experience of empathizing with all parties in a tragic event, leading to mental health issues, illustrating the need for balanced empathy. 

Edwin Rutsch and Speaker 1 discuss the importance of empathy and empathy circles as a means to foster understanding and prevent conflict. They emphasize the need for a cultural shift towards empathy, suggesting that empathy circles could have prevented tragedies like family feuds. Edwin shares his personal motivation for empathy work, rooted in his family's history. They explore the challenges of defining empathy and differentiating it from compassion, critiquing current measures like the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. They agree on the need for practical, action-oriented empathy definitions and measures, and discuss the potential of empathy circles to operationalize empathy in academic research.

Action Items

• [ ] Organize an empathy circle with Jody, Edwin, and potentially other participants to further explore the definition of empathy.

• [ ] Share Jody's definition of empathy that she has compiled from academic research.

• [ ] Discuss the relationship between empathy and compassion, and how they can be distinguished.

• [ ] Explore ways to incorporate academic research and measures of empathy into the practical framework of the empathy circle.

Outline

Defining Empathy and Initial Thoughts

• Speaker 1 expresses a desire to avoid influencing Edwin Rutsch's opinions on empathy, as the conversation is for research purposes.

• Edwin Rutsch shares his extensive experience with empathy, having worked on it for 15 years and considering writing a book on the subject.

• Edwin Rutsch introduces his holistic model of empathy, which he believes is more effective than the current affective and cognitive empathy model.

• Speaker 1 suggests that Sam answer the initial question about his definition of empathy, while Edwin Rutsch agrees to discuss his model further.

Sam's Definition and Personal Experience

• Sam from Arbinger Institute defines empathy as seeing and being with others as people, acknowledging their inner reality and letting it affect you.

• Sam explains the concept of "way of being" and the difference between relationships with objects and those with other beings.

• Sam emphasizes the importance of treating others as people rather than objects, and the negative consequences of self-deception when seeing others as objects.

• Sam discusses the mutual connection and emotional commune that occurs when empathy is present, and the negative impact of seeing others as objects.

Edwin Rutsch on Empathy Circle and Holistic Model

• Edwin Rutsch explains the concept of an empathy circle, where active listening and mutual empathy are practiced within a group.

• Edwin Rutsch describes the holistic model of empathy, which includes self-empathy, other-oriented empathy, and mutual empathy within a group.

• Edwin Rutsch highlights the importance of imaginative empathy and role-playing in understanding different perspectives.

• Edwin Rutsch suggests that the empathy circle can be used to role-play and concretely demonstrate empathy in various scenarios.

Challenges and Benefits of Empathy

• Speaker 1 and Edwin Rutsch discuss the challenges of empathy, including the potential for mental taxation and the need for reciprocal empathy.

• Edwin Rutsch emphasizes the importance of mutual empathy and the negative impact of empathy deficits in relationships.

• Edwin Rutsch suggests that cultural shifts and empathy circles can help address these challenges by creating a supportive environment for empathy.

• Sam adds that seeing others as people can lead to more productive solutions to disagreements and conflicts.

Empathy and Personal Convictions

• Speaker 1 asks if it's possible to be both empathetic and retain strong convictions in beliefs and ideologies.

• Sam shares a personal story about empathizing with a Muslim partner and maintaining his own religious convictions.

• Sam explains that empathy allows for respecting others' convictions without adopting their beliefs.

• Edwin Rutsch and Sam discuss the importance of being open to being changed by others and the role of empathy in maintaining strong convictions.

Compassion and Empathy

• Speaker 1 inquires about the relationship between compassion and empathy, and the potential pitfalls of each.

• Edwin Rutsch explains that compassion often involves feeling someone's pain, while empathy is broader and includes understanding the full spectrum of someone's experience.

• Edwin Rutsch describes the dangers of sympathetic compassion, which can lead to destructive outcomes.

• Edwin Rutsch emphasizes the importance of mutual empathy in problem-solving and designing solutions that are human-centered.

Empathy in Conflict and Tragedy

• Speaker 1 shares a personal experience of empathizing with all parties involved in a tragic murder-suicide incident and the negative impact on her mental health.

• Edwin Rutsch suggests that partial empathy, where one person takes on all the empathy without receiving it in return, can be harmful.

• Edwin Rutsch recommends using the empathy circle to bring all parties together for a mutually empathic dialog, which would provide support and prevent empathy deficits.

• Edwin Rutsch emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive environment for empathy and the role of cultural shifts in promoting empathy as a social value.

Empathy Buddy System and Challenges in Communication

• Edwin Rutsch discusses the importance of having empathy buddies to vent and be heard, likening it to a therapy session.

• Speaker 1 raises the issue of communication breakdowns where families of victims refuse to engage with families of perpetrators, leading to emotional isolation.

• Edwin Rutsch emphasizes the need for an empathy movement to make empathy a primary social and cultural value, suggesting weekly family empathy circles to prevent conflicts.

• Edwin shares a personal motivation for his empathy work, recounting the suffering of his family during World War II, highlighting the lack of empathy in such situations.

Strategies for Promoting Empathy

• Edwin Rutsch suggests that empathy circles could have prevented conflicts that lead to violence, as they foster mutual listening and conflict mediation skills.

• He proposes various strategies to integrate empathy into different contexts, including family empathy circles and involving religious organizations.

• Speaker 1 expresses curiosity about practical approaches for academics to study empathy, leading Edwin to discuss the empathy circle as a practical model.

• Edwin mentions Carl Rogers' person-centered therapy and its application in empathy circles, emphasizing the importance of active listening in relational contexts.

Academic Approaches to Empathy

• Speaker 1 seeks recommendations for academics to approach empathy studies, leading Edwin to suggest role-playing in empathy circles.

• Edwin introduces William Ickes and his book on accurate empathy, expressing interest in interviewing him.

• Speaker 1 expresses a desire to maintain a practitioner lens while advancing academically, appreciating Edwin's hands-on work.

• Edwin mentions his current work on defining empathy and seeks feedback on his definition, while Speaker 1 offers to share her compiled definitions from academic articles.

Defining Empathy and Its Challenges

• Speaker 1 discusses the difficulty in distinguishing empathy from compassion, noting overlap in literature and scales.

• She critiques Dan Batson's empathy scale, pointing out that it includes affective state words rather than empathy-specific terms.

• Speaker 1 expresses concern about the Davis interpersonal reactivity index, which includes measures of emotional reactivity that are not empathy.

• Edwin and Speaker 1 agree on the confusion and ripple effects of inaccurate definitions and measures in empathy research.

Operationalizing Empathy Measures

• Speaker 1 shares her ongoing research on empathy measures, organizing questions by topic and identifying issues with current measures.

• She plans to create a new measure that reflects the action-oriented, reciprocal empathy discussed by Edwin.

• Edwin suggests grounding the new measure in empathy circles to ensure practical relevance and effectiveness.

• Speaker 1 highlights the need for a 360-degree view of empathy, combining self-report measures with feedback from others.

Empathy Circles and Academic Collaboration

• Edwin introduces the empathy circle as a central tool for measuring empathy, with speakers assessing their satisfaction in the process.

• Speaker 1 suggests involving more people in the conversation to understand misunderstandings better.

• Edwin shares links to resources, including the empathy summit and Carl Rogers' work on active listening.

• Speaker 1 expresses interest in collaborating with Edwin and other academics to develop a shared understanding of empathy and its operationalization.

Practical Applications and Future Collaboration

• Edwin emphasizes the need for an empathy movement to apply empathy in practical, reproducible ways, aiming to teach empathy to all 8 billion people.

• Speaker 1 criticizes the impractical nature of some academic studies and the need for translating research into tangible benefits.

• Edwin acknowledges the influence of science writers and policy makers on practical applications of academic research.

• Speaker 1 and Edwin agree on the importance of staying connected and collaborating with more academics to advance empathy research and practice.