Definition Of Empathy Vs Sympathy
Empathy versus sympathy comparison chart.
Definition of empathy vs sympathy. It entered english in the mid 1500s with a very broad meaning of agreement or harmony in qualities between things or people since then the term has come to be used in a more specific way. The use of the word empathy versus the use of the word sympathy has been a cause of mistake for several speakers of the language. The emphasis then is on this ability to change your perspective. Understanding someone else s way of seeing something the second part of a definition of empathy is about being able to understand someone else s way of looking at a situation even if you see it differently.
By empathy one organism is aware at once that another organism is aware of an object. Empathy on the other hand means actually experiencing the other person s feelings. An animal reacting to his reaction would come under this definition. Empathy can be for good and bad both experiences.
Acknowledging another person s emotional hardships and providing comfort and assurance. Both sympathy and empathy have roots in the greek term páthos meaning suffering feeling what is sympathy. Empathy definition part two. Understanding what others are feeling because you have experienced it yourself or can put yourself in their shoes.
Empathy is the term that depicts the understanding of feelings of others by similar sort of personal experience. Sympathy definition origin and examples. Are you confused about the usage of the words empathy and sympathy. Both sympathy and empathy have roots in the greek word pathos which means suffering feeling pity and sympathy to develop sympathy first let s explore pity which can often be confused.
How to use empathy in a sentence. The capacity for this. Pity is a feeling of discomfort at the distress of one or more sentient beings and. Empathy is often confused with pity sympathy and compassion which are each reactions to the plight of others.
Sympathy is the older of the two terms. Compared to sympathy which first appeared in english in the 16th century empathy is a relatively new coinage one originating from a relatively young science.