Pity: quick facts
Pity is the feeling of sorrow or concern aroused by another's suffering or misfortune. It involves recognising someone's pain and feeling moved by it, often from a position of relative safety or fortune. Pity overlaps…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Tenderness
Typical triggers
Witnessing misfortune, suffering of others, hardship, perceived helplessness
How it's expressed
Softened concerned face, sighing, gentle gaze, sympathetic murmurs
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.