Empathy – Inherent or Constructed?
As this class revolves around the role of empathy in every aspects of one’s daily life, it raises the question of why people’s level of empathy are drastically different. Thus, the question raised is whether empathy is inherent or constructed, and if constructed, how does empathy develop? These differences of empathy are the main reasons to some of the conflicts occurring throughout the world this very minute. This topic piques my interest, for I see these different levels of being able to empathize within my friend groups, so I wish to understand the nuances behind the factors that facilitate the development of empathy whether in terms of biological or environmental processes. Furthermore, this knowledge in itself will make people more aware of why some people are less empathetic than others.
Works CIted
- Ainsworth, M. S., M. C. Blehar, E. Waters, and S. Wall. 1978. Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
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McDonald, Nicole M., and Daniel N. Messinger. “The Development of Empathy: How, When, and Why?” www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/dmessinger/c_c/rsrcs/rdgs/emot/McDonald-Messinger_Empathy%20Development.pdf.
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Robinson, J. L., C. Zahn-Waxler, and R. N. Emde. 1994. “Patterns of development in early empathic behavior: Environmental and child constitutional influences.” SocialDevelopment.
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Zahn-Waxler, C., M. Radke-Yarrow, E. Wagner, and M. Chapman. 1992a. “Development of concern for others.” Developmental Psychology.
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Zhou, Q., N. Eisenberg, S. H. Losoya, R. A. Fabes, M. Reiser, I. K. Guthrie, B. C. Murphy, A. J.Cumberland, and S. A. Shepard. 2002. “The relations of parental warmth and positive expressiveness to children’s empathy related responding and social functioning: A longitudinal study.” Child Development.