Cognitive empathy >> Affective empathy

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neobluex
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02 Jun 2014, 9:39 am

Quick question: Is having "cognitive empathy" absolutely necessary to have "affective empathy"?

Like this: [Recognize state] >> [Emotional reaction to state];
or can be like this: [Random emotional reactions to unidentified state]



Norny
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02 Jun 2014, 9:53 am

Yes, that is part of the reason autistics often appear cold, because they don't display/feel affective empathy until they realize that, or why another is upset etc.

For clarity, cognitive empathy isn't necessary to HAVE affective empathy, but it is necessary with regards to the activation of the affective empathy, if that makes sense.

I speak from experience of having autistic friends/acquaintances. My current best friend is autistic, and he's told me he feels exactly as I assumed it is.


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kraftiekortie
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02 Jun 2014, 10:05 am

My cognitive empathy, in most cases, transitions to affective empathy.

Cognitive empathy, however, invariably comes first, to the irritation of the person who needs affective empathy NOW.



LoveNotHate
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02 Jun 2014, 10:38 am

A. cognitive empathy = identify another person's feelings
B. affective empathy = respond appropriately to those identified feelings

It seems like I read that ASD people are poor at both of these types of empathy ? For example, an ASD person does not recognize social cues, and therefore, does not respond appropriately to those non-identified social cues. Thus, performing poorly on both types of empathy.

Poor affective empathy would seem to follow matter-of-factly from poor cognitive empathy ?

Presented in the book ...
Zero Degrees of Empathy: A New Theory of Human Cruelty
"By contrast, Baron-Cohen defines people with Asperger's syndrome or classic autism, which is his own field, as "'zero-positive'. Like the zero-negatives these people lack affective empathy, but in addition they score zero on "cognitive empathy" ? thinking others' thoughts".


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Rocket123
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02 Jun 2014, 10:22 pm

I am currently re-reading Dr. Valerie Gaus' book, "Living Well on the Spectrum". According to the author:

Quote:
...Cognitive empathy happens when you think about another person?s feelings without necessarily feeling anything yourself...

...Emotional empathy happens when you not only correctly identify the other person?s feeling but also feel some of the same emotion yourself...

...Research has revealed that on tests of cognitive empathy people with ASDs tend to score lower (i.e. show less cognitive empathy) than neurotypicals. However, on tests of emotional empathy, people with ASDs scored higher, indicating that people on the spectrum actual feel more intense emotions in the face of the troubles or distress of another person(s)...


I am still deciding whether or not I agree with these assertions.



Norny
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03 Jun 2014, 4:26 am

Rocket123 wrote:
I am currently re-reading Dr. Valerie Gaus' book, "Living Well on the Spectrum". According to the author:

Quote:
...Cognitive empathy happens when you think about another person?s feelings without necessarily feeling anything yourself...

...Emotional empathy happens when you not only correctly identify the other person?s feeling but also feel some of the same emotion yourself...

...Research has revealed that on tests of cognitive empathy people with ASDs tend to score lower (i.e. show less cognitive empathy) than neurotypicals. However, on tests of emotional empathy, people with ASDs scored higher, indicating that people on the spectrum actual feel more intense emotions in the face of the troubles or distress of another person(s)...


I am still deciding whether or not I agree with these assertions.


I disagree with cognitive empathy and the research referred to.

Cognitive empathy is not just thinking about a person's feelings, it is understanding what they feel, and (arguably) why they feel that.

I don't see how scoring higher on a test of emotional empathy indicates more intense emotions. How would any test measure that intensity?

None of this is consistent with other research/text I have read, nor my real life experiences. I don't know which is right, and which isn't.


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