1
Cognitive empathy
is the ability to identify what other people feel: their emotions, thoughts and intentions,
Emotional intelligence · Empathy
Am I empathic?
The three dimensions of empathy
Empathy is the ability to know what other people feel, to feel some of what they feel and act accordingly. It is a major component of emotional intelligence.
Many people confuse empathy with kindness, although the two can be radically opposed.
The three forms of empathy
There are three dimensions of empathy:
2
Emotional empathy
is the ability to feel what others feel and be emotionally affected by other people,
3
Behavioural empathy
is the ability to act on information from emotional and cognitive empathy; in particular, the ability to mirror others, like a chameleon.
Gifted people: highly empathic individuals
Highly developed empathy is a characteristic often found in people with High Potential: in people with High Intellectual Potential and even more often in people with High Emotional Potential.
How can empathy cause you less distress?
Empathy sometimes causes distress. There is no miracle solution for finding the right distance from others and listening to their emotions without being overwhelmed. Nevertheless, there is one rule: reserve your empathy for people who themselves have enough empathy not to manipulate or exploit it abusively. Thus, narcissistic manipulators often choose highly empathic people as victims.
Are people with Asperger syndrome less empathic?
The idea that people with Asperger syndrome or another Autism Spectrum Disorder have little empathy is false. Studies show that although their cognitive empathy is less developed, they are often very capable of emotional empathy: they can share and feel other people’s emotions, sometimes with far greater intensity. Conversely, narcissistic manipulators can severely lack emotional empathy while having enough cognitive empathy to understand other people’s emotions and manipulate them.
Is your empathy particularly developed?
When it comes with heightened sensitivity, intuition, a very subtle understanding of relationships or a strong feeling of being out of step, High Emotional Potential can be worth exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three forms of empathy?
Cognitive empathy involves identifying what others feel, think or want; emotional empathy involves feeling some of their emotions; behavioural empathy involves acting on this information.
Are empathy and kindness the same thing?
No. Understanding or feeling another person’s emotions does not automatically determine how you act.
Does strong empathy mean I have HEP?
Not on its own. However, it can be part of broader emotional functioning to be examined alongside other characteristics.
Understanding your empathy means understanding how you function
If you recognise highly developed empathy combined with intuition, heightened sensitivity or a strong sense of being out of step in relationships, HEP screening can be a first step.
