Psychology MCAT Practice Exam 2025 – Complete All-in-One Guide to Ensure Your Success!

Empathy is defined as the capacity to understand and share another person's feelings. This concept involves not only recognizing the emotions that someone else is experiencing but also allowing oneself to emotionally resonate with those feelings. It goes beyond mere sympathy, which might involve feeling pity for someone else's misfortune, to a deeper level where one can actually feel what the other person is feeling.

This definition highlights the importance of both cognitive and emotional components of empathy. The cognitive aspect is about understanding someone else's perspective or emotions, while the emotional aspect involves feeling with the person, thereby creating a deeper connection and understanding of their experiences.

This understanding of empathy is vital in various contexts, such as counseling, healthcare, and everyday interactions, as it fosters compassion and supportive relationships, ultimately enhancing social bonding and cooperation.