Compassion: quick facts
Compassion is the emotion of being moved by another's suffering together with a desire to help relieve it. It combines an awareness of someone's pain with warmth and a motivation to act on their behalf. Compassion…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Positive
Emotion family / blend
Tenderness
Typical triggers
Witnessing suffering, hardship in others, vulnerability, need for care
How it's expressed
Soft eyes, gentle voice, leaning toward, comforting gestures
Sources: American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions; Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik) — overview. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.