Empathy can be related to sympathy, it is in regards to moral philosophy and refers to feelings an individual may have towards another individual (Davis, 1996). Empathy comes from the term Einfuhlung, this is a word initially used in German aesthetics. This generally meant that an individual has a tendency to associate an object with their own self. Simply put, it is when an observer projects themselves into something which they observe, typically this was an object of beauty. However, now the term empathy is used in more of a psychological context, this can be done by its applications to optical illusions; this is later known as the process of which we come to know other people. The English meaning of the word empathy when directly taken from its German roots simply means "inner imitation."
However, it is said that the word was originally derived from Greek roots; empatheia. This means physical affection, passion, partiality (Davis, 1996). Later on it was adapted by German artists.
Generally, empathy is known as an individual's capacity to relate to another human being (Davis, 1996). This can be seen in terms of emotion such as happiness, sadness, anger or the like; this is seen through consciousness rather than physical feelings. Empathy is further a development of an individual's compassion towards other beings.
It covers a very broad spectrum; this can range from feeling a concern for other people which stirs a desire to help them, to experiencing certain emotions which are similar to another person's emotions; however only assumptions can be made in terms of knowing what the person is thinking or feeling exactly (Davis, 1996). There are numerous variations of empathy, and they are all similar in general meaning, however they are explained in ways which shift perspective. These can be seen as the following (Davis, 1996):
A motivation oriented towards the other -- Daniel Batson
The capacity to know emotionally what another is experiencing from within the frame of reference of that other person, the capacity to sample the feelings of another or to put one's self in another's shoes -- D.M. Berger
A sense of similarity in feelings experienced by the self and the other, without confusion between two individuals -- Jean Decety
An effective response that stems from apprehension or comprehension of another's emotional state or condition, and that is similar to what the other person is feeling or would be expecting to feel -- Nancy Eisenberg
To empathize means to share, to experience the feelings of another person -…
