Question

How can we teach children Empathy? Discuss the Empathy Triad.

Answer 1

Empathy is innate in nature. Earlier researchers thought that a child was not able to comprehend empathy cognitively. However, new findings have proved that a child can in fact understand and display empathy in a multitude of behavior. A child understands and learns the concept of empathy through their caretakers. They are able to regulate their emotions by observing and interacting with others.

There are three kinds of empathy: cognitive, emotional and compassionate.

Cognitive empathy is understanding and knowing how others feel and think without necessarily engaging with their emotions. It is basically putting oneself in someone else's shoes. Emotional empathy is literally feeling what the other person is feeling by engaging emotionally with them. Compassionate empathy is feeling what others feel out of concern and the will to help the other person.