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- Sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone. Empathy involves stepping into that person's shoes to actively share in their emotional experience.
Sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful. Empathy involves actively sharing in the person’s emotional experience.
- Overview
- Sympathy vs. Empathy
- Which Is Better—Empathy or Sympathy?
- Are Compassion and Empathy the Same Thing?
- How to Be More Sympathetic and Empathetic
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We often come across the words empathy and sympathy when talking about how we feel. However, sympathy involves understanding someone’s emotions from our perspective and empathy involves feeling their emotions from their perspective.
Although both words are used in situations that involve emotions, they cannot be used interchangeably as they have different meanings.
This article explores the traits, differences, examples and common questions about sympathy and empathy.
Although both words are used in situations that involve emotions, they cannot be used interchangeably as they have different meanings.
The main difference between sympathy and empathy is how we express and experience our emotions toward someone’s situation.
According to the American Psychology Association Dictionary of Psychology, the definitions of sympathy and empathy are as follows:
•Sympathy: “feelings of concern or compassion resulting from an awareness of the suffering or sorrow of another.”
When to Show Empathy
Empathy is essential for building deep and meaningful relationships with others. If you are unable to understand another person’s perspective, it can be challenging to effectively communicate and problem-solve together. For instance, if you and your partner are fighting, it can be difficult to resolve the conflict if you are unable to empathize with their point of view. Instead of working as a team toward a solution, you focus on trying to convince the other that you are right which creates a bigger divide in the relationship.
Empathy Fatigue
However, empathy fatigue can occur if you are overly concerned and constantly feel the feelings of others. Your energy becomes depleted and you may feel numb, burnt out, powerless, and less compassionate. You are at an increased risk of empathic distress.
When to Show Sympathy
In the age of mobile phones and social media, we are bombarded with distressing news at our fingertips; it’s easy to become overwhelmed by what’s happening in the world. Sympathy allows us to learn and stay informed about global issues without being emotionally consumed. Sympathy has been shown to be associated with moral and prosocial behaviors such as cooperation, sharing, low discrimination, supporting, helping, and protecting others.
Compassion Involves Taking Action
Unlike empathy which is merely about feeling the emotions of others, compassion creates a desire to help others and involves taking action. You want to help relieve their pain and suffering because you truly empathize with their situation. For instance, your friend is going through cancer treatment. You have compassion by helping them run errands, driving them to their appointments, and being mindful and sensitive about their needs.
Sympathy and empathy are important for relationship-building and mental wellness. Here are some tips to practice these skills to help you be more sympathetic and empathetic:
•Learn how to read non-verbal cues
•Instead of jumping to giving unsolicited advice, put yourself in their situation and try to imagine what they need
•Practice active listening, ask questions, and work on understanding how another person feels
•Self-reflect on how your conditions shaped your beliefs, values, judgments, and perspectives
•Emotionally validate someone’s concerns
Aug 16, 2022 · The difference between the most commonly used meanings of these two terms is: sympathy is feeling compassion, sorrow, or pity for the hardships that another person encounters. empathy is putting yourself in the shoes of another, which is why actors often talk about it.
Sep 29, 2023 · Sympathy and empathy are two closely related but distinct emotions. Sympathy involves feeling sorry or pity for someone, whereas empathy involves understanding and sharing someone’s feelings. Sympathy is more of an external expression of emotion, while empathy is an internal emotional response.
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Jul 14, 2020 · What's Empathy? Empathy and sympathy are similar, yet they differ in how they can make one who is suffering feel. Empathy is a sense that you can understand and share...
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May 22, 2015 · Key points. Sympathy is a reaction to the plight of others. Empathy means sharing another person's emotions. Compassion is more engaged than simple empathy because...
Aug 20, 2021 · Psychologists and therapists say empathy is generally more beneficial to the receiver than sympathy, though both can be socially positive. Sympathy is internally directed, while empathy is outwardly directed.
