Empathic Concern: What It Is and Why It's Important

Empathy has received much attention in recent years, being touted by some as a cure for what ails our society but considered by others to be a source of trouble. One reason for the very different assessments is that "empathy" has been used to refer to different psychological phenomena. For some scholars and researchers, empathy refers to feeling as another feels. Others think of empathy as feeling for, not feeling as, another. When the other is in need, feeling for him or her has been calle...