What is empathy?

Abstract

We propose empathy to be the process of relating to another in a mode that facilitates the creative elaboration of mutual understanding and recognition. The empathic mode thus presupposes both commonality and difference as it seeks the development of a common language—a shared network of meanings, allowing one to see beyond pre-existing commonalities and create new ones. In this chapter, we elaborate this understanding of the nature of empathy to contextualize the bio-behavioral underpinnings of commonality and the innate capacities we have for bridging difference. Finally, we discuss barriers to and breakdowns of the empathic mode such as cultural difference, dehumanization, and stigma.