Empathy and Interpersonal Communication

Author:

• Aron DiBacco (Indiana Univ-Purdue Univ, Indianapolis)

Abstract:

This paper investigates the relationship between empathy and interpersonal communication to identify which behaviors constitute empathy. Empathy correlates with beneficial effects. To evaluate if these are due to empathy, it is useful to measure when empathy is occurring. Most measures of empathy compare perceptions with reported and observed experience. However, empathy is communicated through interpersonal behaviors. It is these interpersonal behaviors that this paper identifies and categorizes in relation to the expression of empathy