EMPATHY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does empathy mean? 

• EMPATHY (noun)
  The noun EMPATHY has 1 sense:

1. understanding and entering into another's feelings

  Familiarity information: EMPATHY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EMPATHY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Understanding and entering into another's feelings

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("empathy" is a kind of...):

fellow feeling; sympathy (sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish))

Derivation:

empathetic (showing empathy or ready comprehension of others' states)

empathise; empathize (be understanding of)

 Context examples 

However, this difference is not due to our DNA as there were no differences in the genes that contribute to empathy in men and women.

(Study finds that genes play a role in empathy, University of Cambridge)

Previous studies have also reported that greater practitioner empathy is associated with higher patient motivation towards activation, enablement and self-management of disease.

(Patients with an ‘empathic’ GP at reduced risk of early death, University of Cambridge)

A disorder characterized by an enduring pattern of grandiose beliefs and arrogant behavior together with an overwhelming need for admiration and a lack of empathy for (and even exploitation of) others.

(Narcissistic Personality Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

This confirms previous research examining empathy in identical versus non-identical twins.

(Study finds that genes play a role in empathy, University of Cambridge)

Those patients reporting better experiences of empathy in the first 12 months after diagnosis had a significantly lower risk (40-50%) of death over the subsequent 10 years compared to those who experienced low practitioner empathy.

(Patients with an ‘empathic’ GP at reduced risk of early death, University of Cambridge)

The EQ measures both parts of empathy.

(Study finds that genes play a role in empathy, University of Cambridge)

Twelve months after diagnosis, patients assessed their GP’s empathy and their experiences of diabetes care over the preceding year using the consultation and relational empathy (CARE) questionnaire.

(Patients with an ‘empathic’ GP at reduced risk of early death, University of Cambridge)

A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge developed the Empathy Quotient (EQ), a brief self-report measure of empathy.

(Study finds that genes play a role in empathy, University of Cambridge)

Empathy is an important concept within healthcare and as such is emphasised in policy, codes of practice, national clinical guidance and medical training.

(Patients with an ‘empathic’ GP at reduced risk of early death, University of Cambridge)

Finally, the new study found that genetic variants associated with lower empathy are also associated with higher risk for autism.

(Study finds that genes play a role in empathy, University of Cambridge)