Empath

This article is about the descriptor for someone with high empathy. For the comic book character, see Empath (Marvel). For other uses, see Empath (disambiguation).

In psychology, empaths (from Ancient Greek: ἐμπάθ(εια), romanized: e̓mpáth(eia); IPA: /ˈɛm.pæθ/) are people who have a higher than usual level of empathy, called hyperempathy.^[1] While objective empathy level testing is difficult, tests such as the EQ-8 have gained some acceptance as tests for being empathic.^[2][3] Highly sensitive person is also often synonymous,^[4] but is also used to describe sensory processing sensitivity.

In parapsychology, the mechanism for being an empath is claimed to be psychic channeling; psychics and mediums claim to channel the emotional states and experiences of other living beings or the spirits of dead people in the form of "emotional resonance".

The term empath is sometimes used in a broader sense to describe someone who is more adept at understanding, i.e. is sensitive to, the feelings of others, than the average person: as a descriptor for someone who is higher on an empathetic "spectrum" of sorts.^[5] Seen this way, an empath is someone who can perceive, understand, or share the feelings of another person, without necessarily believing said feelings are being directly communicated to them through some as yet unknown "second sight" mechanism or telepathic channel.^[6]

Paranormal concept

The term's modern usage flows mostly from the work of American psychiatrist Judith Orloff. Orloff uses the term to describe people who have an innate ability to read the emotional state of others. She believes that empaths are able to sense the thoughts, feelings and energy of those around them, and that they are able to use this ability to provide healing or comfort to others, if they manage their condition correctly.^[7] Orloff's work is controversial as she claims to be a clairvoyant (psychic);^[8][9] her definition and classification of types of empaths is neither recognized by mainstream psychiatry nor is it included in the DSM-5. For her part, Orloff believes her psychiatric colleagues to be "stuck in the Dark Ages".^[10]

Scientific research into normal human variation

 

An artistic interpretation of mirror neurons, the overactivity of which is a possible explanation for hyperempathy, active in two human brains

Although empaths are often associated with the paranormal,^[11]: 62 the concept has been studied and researched by scientists. Neuroscientists have found evidence to suggest that some people have greater or lesser ability to share and feel the emotions of others. They suggest that, on average, people who describe themselves as empaths have a greater ability to empathize than other people, and that this ability may be the result of a neurological difference, particularly in the responsiveness of mirror neurons.^[5][12][13] Mirror neurons are neurons that fire both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. Interfering with the level of activation of mirror neurons via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been experimentally studied.^[14]

In popular culture

Online, self-describing empaths are sometimes mocked for using the moniker. Shane Dawson was mocked for using the term to describe himself after a poorly-received apology YouTube video in 2018.^[15]

Empaths have also featured in various works of fiction, such as the Marvel Comics character Empath^[16] and the Star Trek: The Next Generation character Deanna Troi.^[17]

See also

• Artificial empathy
• Empathy-altruism
• Empathy gap
• Mirror-touch synesthesia
• Pathological altruism
• Superficial charm

References

1. Brown, Sandra L. (11 March 2012). "Genetic and Neuro-Physiological Basis for Hyper-Empathy". Psychology Today. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
2. Lawrence, E. J.; Shaw, P.; Baker, D.; Baron-Cohen, S.; David, A. S. (July 2004). "Measuring empathy: reliability and validity of the Empathy Quotient". Psychological Medicine. 34 (5): 911–920. doi:10.1017/S0033291703001624. ISSN 0033-2917. PMID 15500311. S2CID 16347489.
3. Loewen, Peter John; Lyle, Greg; Nachshen, Jennifer S. (2009). "An eight-item form of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and an application to charitable giving" (PDF). University of Toronto Department of Political Science Working Papers. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
4. Arabi, Shahida (2020). The highly sensitive person's guide to dealing with toxic people : how to reclaim your power from narcissists and other manipulators. Oakland, CA. ISBN 978-1-68403-532-8. OCLC 1145077770.
5. Thomson, Helen (10 March 2010). "We feel your pain: Extreme empaths". New Scientist. doi:10.1016/s0262-4079(11)61228-1. ISSN 0262-4079. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
6. Donovan, James M. (August 1998). "Reinterpreting Telepathy as Unusual Experiences of Empathy and Charisma". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 87 (1): 131–146. doi:10.2466/pms.1998.87.1.131. ISSN 0031-5125. PMID 9760638. S2CID 6173490.
7. Orloff, Judith (2017). The empath's survival guide : life strategies for sensitive people. Boulder, Co.: Sounds True. ISBN 978-1-62203-657-8. OCLC 953599191.
8. Orloff, Judith; Toms, Michael (1996). "Psychic Medicine" (audio cassette). New Dimensions Radio. Retrieved 14 January 2023. I had my first psychic experience when I was nine years old, when I had a visitation from my grandfather.
9. Miller, Kenneth; Benson, Harry (June 1998). "Psychics: Science or Seance? A Reporter Visits the Twilight Zone". Life. Vol. 21, no. 7. Retrieved 21 February 2023 – via EBSCOHost.
10. Mason, Russ (February 2005). "The Energy Psychiatry of Judith Orloff, M.D." Alternative and Complementary Therapies. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2005 (11): 32–36. doi:10.1089/act.2005.11.32. RM: Is allopathic medicine, particularly psychiatry, really stuck in the Dark Ages? JO: Yes.
11. Red Feather, Stephanie (5 November 2019). The Evolutionary Empath: A Practical Guide for Heart-Centered Consciousness. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-59143-351-4.
12. Winerman, Lea (2005). "The mind's mirror". American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/e418612005-033. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
13. Banissy, Michael J.; Ward, Jamie (July 2007). "Mirror-touch synesthesia is linked with empathy". Nature Neuroscience. 10 (7): 815–816. doi:10.1038/nn1926. ISSN 1546-1726. PMID 17572672. S2CID 1345360.
14. Armstrong, Kim (29 December 2017). "'I Feel Your Pain': The Neuroscience of Empathy". Association for Psychological Science Observer. 31. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
15. Johnson, Chloe (23 February 2022). "Huge numbers of TikTokers are identifying as 'an empath,' spawning a new meme that mocks the trend". Insider. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
16. Mysogland, Gregory (26 October 2020). "The X-Men's Greatest Monster Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight". CBR. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
17. Chin, Vivian Fumiko (2018). "To Seek Out New Forms of Knowledge: Viewing Star Trek as an Introduction to Cognitive Science and Ways of Thinking About Narrative, Theory of Mind, and Difference". In Rabitsch, S.; Gabriel, M.; Elmenreich, W.; Brown, J. (eds.). Set Phasers to Teach!. Springer, Cham. pp. 137–147. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-73776-8_13. ISBN 978-3-319-73775-1.