Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Empathy and psychoanalytic technique.

S T Levy

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
    |January 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    This review explores psychoanalytic contributions to empathy, differentiating it from sympathy and pity. Empathy describes the analyst's emotional relatedness, not a specific technique.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Fantasy and psychoanalytic discourse.

    The International journal of psycho-analysis·2001
    Same author

    Suggestion and psychoanalytic technique.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2000
    Same author

    Regression and psychoanalytic technique: the concretization of a concept.

    The Psychoanalytic quarterly·2000
    Same author

    The psychoanalyst in the academic community.

    The Journal of psychotherapy practice and research·1999
    Same author

    Repetition compulsion revisited: implications for technique.

    The Psychoanalytic quarterly·1998
    Same author

    Comorbid postpartum depression and bereavement: a complicated case.

    The American journal of psychiatry·1997
    Same journal

    Why I Write: My Journey.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026
    Same journal

    Book Essay: Perspectives on Aging: Countering Ageism in Psychoanalytic ThoughtMidlife: Humanity's Secret Weapon. By <i>Andrew Jamieson</i>. Burneside, UK: Notting Hill Editions, 2022, 144 pp., $19.95 hardcover.Psychoanalysis of Aging and Maturity: The Concept of Maturescence. By <i>Guillermo Julio Montero</i>. Abington, UK: Routledge, 2020, 144 pp., $34.49 paperback.Blooming in December: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy With Older Adults. By <i>Amy Schaffer</i>. Abington, UK: Routledge, 2021, 119 pp., $27.24 paperback.Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live. By <i>Becca Levy</i>. New York: HarperCollins, 2022, 294 pp., $15.99 paperback.Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife. By <i>Barbara Bradley Hagerty</i>. New York: Riverhead, 2016, 451 pp., $24.00 paperback.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026
    Same journal

    From the Editors.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026
    Same journal

    Essay: Marianne Goldberger: A Mold-Breaking Psychoanalyst in Her Time, and Importantly, for Ours.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026
    Same journal

    Why I Podcast.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026
    Same journal

    The Humanistic Basis of Psychoanalytic Practice.

    Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·2026
    See all related articles

    Area of Science:

    • Psychoanalytic Theory
    • Psychology
    • Psychotherapy

    Background:

    • Empathy is broadly understood as sharing another's experience.
    • Psychoanalytic theory offers nuanced perspectives on empathy within the analytic setting.
    • Distinguishing empathy from sympathy and pity highlights its value-neutral characteristic.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review major psychoanalytic contributions to understanding empathy.
    • To examine the relationship between empathy, identification, and analytic comprehension.
    • To critically evaluate Kohut's work on empathy within the broader psychoanalytic context.

    Main Methods:

    • Literature review of psychoanalytic contributions to empathy.
    • Analysis of the interrelations between empathy, identification, and countertransference.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Critical examination of themes in empathy development and Kohut's theories.

    • Main Results:

    • Empathy in psychoanalysis describes the analyst's sensitive, experience-near emotional relatedness to the patient.
    • Psychoanalytic empathy is distinct from sympathy and pity, emphasizing a noncritical stance.
    • Kohut's work expanded upon earlier psychoanalytic concepts of empathy.

    Conclusions:

    • Empathy serves as a descriptive term for the analyst's emotional connection, not a specific technical intervention.
    • The generality of the term 'empathy' limits its use as a singular clinical or developmental construct.
    • Understanding empathy's role is crucial for effective psychoanalytic technique and patient-analyst relationships.