Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to sense and share another person's emotional state, creating a resonance between individuals that allows one person to feel something of what another experiences. This fundamental human ability operates on two interconnected levels: an emotional dimension, in which a person mirrors and resonates with another's mood, and a cognitive dimension, in which they intellectually grasp and understand the other person's perspective. Together, these dimensions enable individuals to move beyond their own internal experience and connect with the inner lives of others.
Because empathy allows people to feel what others feel, it serves as the foundation for compassion and prosocial action—the behaviors and attitudes that lead individuals to help, support, and respond sensitively to one another. When someone empathizes with another's suffering, they are more inclined to offer comfort or assistance. When they empathize with another's joy, they can share in celebration. This capacity for emotional and cognitive alignment is essential to human connection and social cohesion.
It is important to note that empathy itself is neither inherently positive nor negative; its valence depends entirely on what is being shared. Empathy with constructive emotions and perspectives strengthens relationships and communities, while empathy with harmful states or intentions can lead people astray. For this reason, empathy is best understood as a neutral human capacity—one that humans use in countless contexts, requiring wisdom and judgment about when and how it is applied.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is empathy?
Empathy is the capacity to sense and share another person's emotional state, in effect feeling something of what they feel. It includes an emotional side, in which one resonates with another's mood, and a cognitive side, in which one…
What triggers empathy?
Empathy is typically triggered by others' emotions, shared experiences, listening closely, imagining a viewpoint.
How is empathy expressed?
Empathy is commonly shown through mirrored expressions, attentive listening, nodding, matched tone.
More complex & secondary emotions
All complex & secondary emotions →
Compare the emotions
See how this emotion compares with others on valence, triggers, and expression in our side-by-side table.
Compare emotions →