“We take into account the mental state of the patient, put ourselves in this state and try to understand it by comparing it with our own.” These words were made back in 1905 by the famous Sigmund Freud, speaking of such a phenomenon as empathy.
If you open a dictionary of the Russian language, you can read the following definition. Empathy is nothing more than a conscious, focused empathy with the emotional state of one's interlocutor. Another word is formed from the word "empathy" - "empathy", which means a person whose property of empathy is developed at a high level.
This word is not commonly used, it is used mainly in science fiction and non-fiction.
Empathy in psychology does not imply a specific emotion; this concept should not be confused with compassion. This is empathy, and empathy of any emotion. Sometimes empathy in psychology denotes the so-called empathic listening, that is, an understanding of the emotions of another person, and it is imperative to make the interlocutor understand that they are listening to him, empathize with his problem and his emotional state.
Thus, we can conclude that in this case empathy implies the ability to collect all the information about the emotional background of the interlocutor, to analyze it and give some advice.
Empathy in psychology is considered normal. There are even some techniques that help most effectively identify the level of ability for empathic interaction.
Typically, the range of empathy is very wide. This may be an easy response to emotion, or it may be a complete immersion in the sensual world of the interlocutor.
Empathy, according to experts, is formed due to a quick reaction to the manifestations of the interlocutor’s emotions, even if they are hardly distinguishable externally.
An emotional state can be expressed not by a riot of feelings, but by the pace of speech, deed, facial expressions or gesture.
Empathy in psychology also means the fact that an empathic person is well aware of the feelings he experiences. They, in turn, are a reflection of the feelings of his interlocutor.
If this is not the case, then this is not about empathy, but about a simple identification of a person with his interlocutor. Here an important role is played by empathy, understanding. Often this is called the ability to listen and hear, distinguish between emotions and their smallest features.
The study of this phenomenon is engaged not only in psychology, medicine, but also in pedagogy.
Empathy in pedagogy arose not by chance. The fact is that every time new values and innovations appear in the education system, which lead to serious changes in the socio-economic and cultural life of society. Therefore, there is a need for a new kind of people. If you read the State educational standard in force in our country, it will become clear that the emotional and moral education and development of children of different school ages is of great importance.
The personality of the child, as claimed by such a field of science as social empathy, must be capable of empathy, sympathy, and mercy. The child must adequately perceive the emotions of other people. All this will help him adapt successfully in the modern world.
Moreover, the ability to empathy will help children participate in interpersonal relationships, control their own feelings and emotions, in order to know which ones can be shown in public and which ones are best experienced in themselves.
That is why the teacher in school is faced with the task of not only transmitting knowledge to children, developing the skills of one or another activity in them, but also establishing friendly relations between children. All that is needed is the development of the moral qualities of the individual, communication between children and adults, as well as the ability to perceive each other's emotional state, evaluate their actions and the actions of other people. Sometimes this skill is called the ability to see and feel people.