Once we remove the perspective-taking pitfalls, we’re talking more about catching feelings than understanding thinking—we’re talking “affective” or “emotional” empathy. Formally, it’s our ability to respond with an appropriate emotion to another’s mental state. Informally, it’s how we feel and behave if/when we understand what someone else is going through. Largely, it’s what we usually refer to as sympathy or compassion—feeling delighted or afraid or concerned or thrilled for someone, doing what we can to alleviate any suffering, and securing them in love. That’s emotional empathy. And that
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