Empathize

Empathy is one of the traits that has helped humans thrive as a species. Alone we are weaker and less fit for survival than many other animals on earth, but together we have built a civilization that has changed the face of the planet. Collaborating effectively with others requires understanding others’ thoughts and needs and being willing to help out, in the trust that others will help you when you need it. Societies that operate based on empathy are collectively richer, with greater well-being, than societies with a dog-eat-dog mentality. (D) Not surprisingly, empathy is “contagious” within groups, meaning that when group norms encourage empathy, more people behave that way, leading to a spiral of social support. (E) But, it can go the other way as well – for example, when children are treated unkindly, their predisposition for empathy ‘turns off’. (from P4P)

On an individual level, empathy is linked with agreeableness, conscientiousness, self-esteem, subjective well-being, and prosocial behaviors. People with empathy are less prejudiced and more likely to go out of their way to help others – and not surprisingly have better marriages, and make people better bosses (G), doctors (F) and police officers.

Unfortunately, as a society we seem to becoming less empathetic (stat). This could be driven by increases in inequality, which has been shown to make higher status people less empathic. This is a self-perpetuating spiral, because as they become less empathic, higher status people are less likely to support legislation to help poorer classes, and even less likely to donate to charity. One bright spot, however, is that empathy can be reactivated by exposure to people of different backgrounds, through things like volunteering, living in amore mixed neighborhood, or even experiencing them through art & literature.