In Another's Shoes

Try to remember the last time you were in the presence of a chuckling baby. You might recall feeling a certain lightness in your heart that made your worries seem less important. What about the time your favourite protagonist in a series was about to step into danger? You would have probably frowned and bit your lip in anticipation of what would happen, being faintly aware of your slow breaths. 

You might already be familiar with this concept of empathy. This is our ability to understand another person's situation by placing ourselves in the same. It is a trait that plays a remarkable role in our decision making, forming relationships, compassion, and prosocial behaviour. By allowing us to dwell on the context of another's state of mind, we can in turn learn a great deal about coping with our own difficulties and our own perspectives about the world. The activation of mirror neurons in the brain plays a part in the ability to mimic the emotional responses that people would feel if they were in similar situations.

Research has shown the power of empathy time and time again. In Can Insight Breed Callousness? The Impact of Learning about the Identifiable Victim Effect on Sympathy by Small et al, one of the most interesting studies conducted involved participants being asked how much they'd be willing to donate to two anti-hunger charities in Africa. The first one offered statistics regarding a wide number of people starving and a plea to help them out. The second one featured the picture of a poor seven year old Malian girl named Rokia and offered to provide her with an education and medical care. The results were insightful: Participants were willing to donate almost twice as much to Rokia than they were to an unidentified mass of her fellow Africans. This suggests that our minds tend to favour a closer human touch over stacks of data about unknowns. In other words, our capacity to recognise and care about people can literally change lives for the better. 

While most psychologists agree that most people's levels of empathy are determined by genetics, it is also a trait that can be cultivated. While most of us assume that empathy is a cause and helping others is an effect, the reverse works just as well. Getting out there and seeking opportunities to listen and coming to the aid of others hones our empathy. It is also fruitful to reflect upon the beliefs and ideas that give our own lives meaning, and extending this question to all those around us as well. The greater this circle can widen, the more empathetic you can become.

Empathy is one of the bedrocks of every human community, one that allows us to deeply appreciate the thoughts and emotions that both our friends and complete strangers experience. Practicing it consciously can lead to the betterment of those who seek our happiness and make their faces a little brighter. 

References: Small, Deborah & Slovic, Paul. (2005). Can Insight Breed Callousness? The Impact of Learning about the Identifiable Victim Effect on Sympathy.