A lot of moral outrage has been expressed lately – over Trump’s travel ban and other issues. The expression of such outrage is more than a response to perceived injustice.
For over two decades, psychologists and communication scholars have been seriously studying the degree a person is able to correctly understand another’s unsaid thoughts or feelings.
Some people are good at understanding the emotions of others but not at feeling them or commenting on them. So can we teach people the parts they lack?
Can empathy be taught to students in the healthcare professions? A groundbreaking project is using visual art to ensure they pay attention to the whole person, not just the disease.
For a long time it was not believed that animals were even capable of feeling pain, let alone complex emotions. We now know that is far from the truth.
Universities are so busy trying to make ends meet that there’s no time to listen to their communities’ stories. It’s crucial to develop safe spaces where tough conversations can happen.
Children feel sympathy for others from an early age. Two development psychologists explain how children can learn, based on feelings of sympathy, how to act more thoughtfully.
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary