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Empathy and viewing the other as a subject
1Stockholm University, Sweden. jh@psychology.su.se
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
|September 22, 2006
Summary
Viewing individuals as subjects, not objects, enhances empathy. Perceived difficulty in a person's situation, combined with a subject view, significantly boosts empathy, especially for those in distress.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Theoretical links exist between empathy and perceiving others as subjects rather than objects.
- Empirical research on the relationship between subject/object perception and empathy is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically investigate the relationship between subject/object perception and empathy.
- To determine if the perceived difficulty of a person's situation influences empathy.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Participants viewed film clips, rated their empathy for characters, and assessed whether they viewed characters as subjects or objects.
- Study 2: Participants rated empathy, subject/object view, and the difficulty of film characters' situations.
Main Results:
- Subject/object view partially explained empathy differences in Study 1.
- In Study 2, both subject/object view and perceived difficulty substantially explained empathy variations.
- Empathy was most strongly evoked when individuals in difficulty were viewed as subjects.
Conclusions:
- Empathy is significantly influenced by viewing others as subjects.
- The perceived difficulty of a person's situation is a key factor in evoking empathy.
- A subject-oriented perspective, especially when combined with situational difficulty, is crucial for fostering empathy.
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