How Empathetic Are You? New Study Shows Trait Is Rising Among Young Americans Here's how you can determine and grow your own empathy, according to experts
New research shows that empathy among American youth has been increasing in recent years
- A follow-up study found that empathy among American youth has been increasing in recent years, approaching levels seen in the 1970s.
- Experts attribute the rise to factors such as increased awareness of global challenges and the growing emphasis on mental health education and support.
- Actively listening to others and imagining yourself in someone else’s shoes are among some expert-backed tips for building empathy.
A recent study found that empathy among young Americans has been increasing since 2008, approaching levels seen in the 1970s.
For the study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, researchers examined perspective-taking and empathic concern among American high school seniors and college students from 1979 to 2018.
Empathy is the ability to understand and accept how someone else feels regardless of your own feelings. Perspective-taking, on the other hand, means having the ability to experience the situation and feelings through another person’s point of view.
The researchers tracked these trends using three different sets of data over these four decades, including two that were representative of the entire country.
They found that empathy levels have risen sharply among youth—something experts attribute to factors such as growing acceptance of mental health issues and a greater awareness of global challenges, like the recent pandemic.
The results mark a notable shift from a 2011 study conducted by the same team, which found that U.S. college students scored 40% lower in empathy than their counterparts from the late 1970s.
“This is great news, and goes against stereotypes that many people have about youth,” Sara Konrath, PhD, first author of the study and director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, told Health in an email.
“Young Americans today are pretty empathetic, and this matters because empathy helps to promote kind behaviors like giving, sharing, helping, and volunteering,” she said.
Given these benefits, you might be curious as to how you stack up on the empathy scale, as well as what you can do to build this trait—which isn’t fixed. Here’s what psychologists had to say.
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Testing Your Empathy
There are many self-assessment tools available to help you evaluate your level of empathy, Alisha Simpson-Watt, LCSW, BCBA, LBA, executive clinical director and founder of Collaborative ABA Services, told Health in an email.
While a professional may guide you toward a particular test, you can also find the assessments online and take them without expert guidance. The test used in the recently published study is the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, which consists of 28 questions.
Others you might consider include:
- The Empathy Quotient (EQ): This test measures empathy levels in adults and comes in two versions, short and long.
- The Empathy Quiz: Three scientifically validated scales measure empathy in this assessment.
In addition to self-assessments, reflecting on your initial reactions when someone shares their struggles or emotions with you can give you a sense of how empathetic you are, Vinay Saranga, MD, a psychiatrist and founder of The North Carolina Institute of Advanced NeuroHealth, told Health in an email.
For instance, if your first thought is, “I wish they would be quiet and go away,” it may indicate lower empathy, said Saranga. On the other hand, if you find yourself thinking, “I’m sorry you are feeling this way,” and “What can I do to help?” then you are likely more empathetic.
According to Simpson-Watt, some empathetic behaviors include:
- The ability to consider and understand someone else’s perspective outside your own.
- Recognizing and sharing another person’s thoughts and feelings.
- Having a genuine concern for the well-being of others.
- The ability to attend and actively listen to what others have to say
- Feeling overwhelmed or affected by traumatic events experienced by others.
How to Become More Empathetic
According to Saranga, it’s certainly possible to become more empathetic. To develop more empathy, try taking a few minutes to help someone struggling, imagine how they are feeling, and think about how you would want someone to support you if you were in the same situation.
“Sometimes that simply means just being there and giving them a shoulder to lean on, and sometimes it could mean helping them find a viable solution to overcome the current situation,” Saranga said.
While you’re interacting with that person, keep these tips from Saranga and Simpson-Watt in mind:
- Practice active listening: Pay close attention to what they are saying without interrupting or judging them.
- Show physical support: Offer a hug, hold their hand, or sit with them if needed to provide comfort.
- Be present: Spend time with them until they feel better and let them vent if needed.
- Affirm feelings: Reinforce their positive attributes and remind them of their strengths.
- Understand your own biases: Recognize how your biases, thoughts, experiences, and views might affect your ability to empathize.
- See their perspective: Try to understand the other person’s point of view, even if you disagree.
- Imagine their experience: Put yourself in their shoes to understand better what they're going through.
- Observe verbal and nonverbal cues: Pay attention to the person’s verbal and nonverbal cues, such as tone of voice and body language, to understand their emotions.
Finally, remember to check in regularly to see how they’re doing and offer ongoing support, experts said.
This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Alyssa Hui
