Are You an Empath?

[Earth]

Some time ago I was heavily criticized on this forum for claiming to know what Kazunori Yamauchi was going to do with the Gran Turismo franchise before he did it. I claimed to know why he added certain features and why he did not add certain features. I was blasted for claiming this.

For a while I thought about this. How was I so certain that I knew his thinking? I couldnt read his mind of course, but how did I feel so strongly that he would act one way or another?

Then after reading up on the 1995 movie Species I noticed one of the characters in the movie was an "empath".

This "empath" had the ability to tell the search team how the fujitive alien was feeling, where it was likely to go next among other things.

And I realized that sounded like me.

Empath is based on the word empathy. As you know empathy means the ability to understand the emotion of others. We all have this, some more then others. When you have the quality of empathy to an extreme degree, you are an empath.

I've done some research on the internet about it and found many websites trying to stylize it. They try to put some supernatural spin to it or make it out to be some fancy special thing. But it's really not

A definition of empathy which I believe describes an empath

A complex form of psychological inference in which observation, memory, knowledge, and reasoning are combined to yield insights into the thoughts and feelings of others
- William Ickes

Basically, an empath has the ability to not only to understand the simple emotions others are feeling like fear, anger, or happiness, but also the ability to use observation, past memories and knowledge to accurately describe what that persons emotions may make them act like or do.

For example, two people see John. One is an empath, the other is not. John is clenching his fists, has a frown and is breathing heavily. Both instantly notice he is angry. But for the non empath thats as far as it goes. The empath goes further. He looks at the situation. How old is he? Who is around him? Where is he looking? Are his eyes closed? What nationality is he? What does his clothes look like? Where is he? Going off that and other clues an empath unconsciously notices why he is angry may be discernable.

Another quick example. Two people, one an empath, are in a convience store late at night getting some late night snacks. One man walks in. Both look at him. The non-empath doesn't see anything wrong and goes back to shopping. "Oh its just a guy" he thinks. The empath notices the blank look on the face of the man who just walked in. He also notices his choppy movements and robotic movements. The empath understands that this man is nervous, and likely is wanting to rob the store. The empath leaves immediately and predicts the store will be robbed as soon as the other customer leaves. He is correct.

Basically, for whatever reason empaths are very aware of the emotional state of people around them. They very rarely offend people, and if they do they are deeply sorry because they understand more then others how much they hurt them.

So, are you an empath?

 

[Daniel]

You've been watching too much The Mentalist .
I try to be empathetic sometimes, but to be honest I'm not that good at it. I guess it does take the right mind to do it well...

 

[W3H5]

I've always had a certain sense of what's going on and by that measure be able to make slight predictions of what could possibly happen in a given situation. It's what made me good a football, the fact I could read the game and anticipate from the movement of the field what was likely to happen next.

I wouldn't call it an 'ability' of types as I believe most self-aware people have the ability to deduct possible future occurrences from their surroundings.

The sense of spacial awareness that I've seen in some people in particular fields makes them a great judge of other peoples movements, for example.
By walking along a crowded street and viewing everything in one's peripheral vision as a whole can lead to a sense of knowing where each person in an oncoming direction is heading and along which path. On the other hand focusing on what is directly in front of one's vision can lead to lack of foresight in the same situation.

I believe bonds between close subjects can affect the level of predictability.

Example.
Two men are drinking and/or working buddies, have been for 15 years. They speak everyday via some form of communication and meet each other regularly, maybe a few times each week. Their personalities and mental states are similar and habits are the same. These two people have a high likelihood of being able to predict what the other is thinking, feeling or about to do more than someone who is not related to the equation.

My view on empaths is that they are merely more informed, knowledgeable and intuitive about which ever subject matter the appear to be good at predicting.

 

[Mrs. Famine]

I am - but it comes with my job.

 

[Vince_Fiero]

Thought about The Mentalist as well when starting to read this.

It really helps for people to look at why people do things. Even if it does not come naturally.
The best way to get something, is mostly not to see what you want, but why others would want to give it to you. In the end it can also help you to understand your own choices better.

My conclusion on myself, I'm wrong a lot of the time, I might not stand statistics on my predictions.

 

[Blitz187]

Isnt this related to having a very high EQ? A very high EQ would give you the ability of being very empathetic.

I am also someone who can read people very well and I attribute that to ALWAYS having lived with other people/roomates for the last 30 years. From 17 until 21 I even lived in a boarding house because my parents lived aborad. And in that time I was really able to develop this sense because I was constantly around other people. There were 22 others living there while I was as well and when youre constantly on each others lips the whole time, you get to know how people will act under certain circumstances very well.

 

[Famine]

I know how you feel.

 

[W3H5]

^ There it is, right there!

photonrider
Being an Empath is the opposite of being a Zombie. Choose wisely!

I advise against being a zombie, I've been wanting to go toe to toe with a zombie for the last 5 years.

 

[photonrider]

Being an Empath is the opposite of being a Zombie. Choose wisely!

 

[uMadson?]

I'm not so sure... Well I can see that there's something wrong with one person when he feels upset, but it's only sometimes when I know why/how/whatever. But most of the time, I don't feel his emotions.

I don't think I am though, I just know the reasons and stuff by being nosy enough to listen to conversations, but there are times when I get things done like an empath.

 

[zedextreme8177]

It only works for me in some cases

 

[axletramp]

Are we not mistaking intuition for something else here? Just because you're feeling something doesn't necessarily mean that it's a (as yet unproven) sixth sense. I can be astounded by a magician and not understand how he does it, but I know it's not 'real' magic.

To be empathic only means that you can recognize and, to a certain extent, share feelings. No anti-zombies here my friend...

I know how you feel.

 

[PeterJB]

Having Asperger's Syndrome makes this difficult, but I think I'm improving.

 

[PAPPACLART]

Isnt this related to having a very high EQ? A very high EQ would give you the ability of being very empathetic.

.

Not in all cases but I know a few very intelligent chaps that are far from empathetic.

We know that there are many measures of intelligence, we have many people with high IQs but who lack empathy, along with many other social skills. I think most people that are socially intelligent could be described as "Empaths" although many people with these skills use them to their advantage, in order to manipulate others around them and of course many don't.

Most super intelligent people I have met, sicence and computer types seem to lack basic empathy and social skills. To be socially intelligent and aware requires allot of brain power, and I think brain power for many super intelligent people is not always distributed equally, with certain areas where intelligentce and ability is more focussed while other areas can be left neglected.

 

[Ibonibo]

EQ = emotional quotient =/ of IQ

I am like Blitz, i lived in a boarding school abord for 6 years at a young age with more than 100 people from different nationalities.

You need to read people in order to be in an good position.

i wouldn't compare me to some Empath, but I can translate and put myself into a person's situation quick well and quickly.

It helps in life to read people's sign language or even be able to relate a certain situation.
But I think it is also a training question. A narcistic person might not be able to have a good empathy level. But if you start to care for your fellow humans, you will develop empathy.

JJ Rousseau : "It's society which corrupts the human beeing". So people who are not empathatic are educated not to be by society, because empathy is a given to all human (also saw it on animals) that saved a lot of humans during the course of history

 

[Luminis]

I voted 'no'. I think I'm not a genuine empath... Thing is, though, I can usually read people quite well. Or, at least, I can tell what's going on in their mind, for the most part. But this is more due to the acquired ability to observe and judge someone's body language, facial expressions, the tone of their voice, eye movement and so on.

It's pretty impressive how well versed one gets in reading people's minds and manipulating them if one works with customers intensively...

I wouldn't consider that to be the same as genuine 'empathy'. That, however, is something I'll never be very good at, it seems. I'm generally pretty rational. Cold, even. Doesn't work too well with empathy, I guess.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I got pretty good at reading peoples peoples micro facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone from face to face sales to the general public, I think it's a skill that can be picked up naturally, and it's worth being able to do so you can adapt your sales pitch as you go. But in day to day life I don't bother even trying, I'm not actually a people person, and most of the time the way I interact with people is merely a reflection of how they interact with me. I hate it when I get nothing from somebody, makes me want to punch them!

 

[Blitz187]

I got pretty good at reading peoples peoples micro facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone from face to face sales to the general public, I think it's a skill that can be picked up naturally, and it's worth being able to do so you can adapt your sales pitch as you go. But in day to day life I don't bother even trying, I'm not actually a people person, and most of the time the way I interact with people is merely a reflection of how they interact with me. I hate it when I get nothing from somebody, makes me want to punch them!

That irritates the heck out of me too....

 

[Joel]

I'm definitely not an Empath. I don't really know how to read people too well. I'm pretty introverted, I don't have trouble talking to people, but I like a lot of alone time. I'm not a very emotional person either, more often than not I'm just plainly content, or slightly happy. I don't often jump for joy, nor am I ever really sad for an extended period of time. This makes it kinda tough with my girlfriend sometimes, she's a very emotional person and I can't pick up on her signals sometimes. It took me forever to realize she had feelings for me as well, and it took the help of another close (female) friend who is another very emotional person to show me how dense I really was being.

 

[photonrider]

I feel that being an empath has to do more with feeling than knowing. But what are the differences here, then? For instance, some incredibly 'intelligent' people I know seem to have absolutely no feelings at all - always objective, cold, academic, encyclopaediacally clever, with memories that could put a Cray to shame - and yet are not able to understand humiliation, or heartbreak, or depression. Or even the feeling of gratefulness that goes with saying 'Thank You'. They therefore cannot understand another's 'Thanks' and would only unempathetically look for 'motives' - having only motives themselves for whatever they do.
This then makes me wonder if knowledge of the future is really empathy about events or would prescience be another factor? A 'different' kind of empathy?

 

[Skython]

I could be, but probably not. I can understand people if I know them well. Many people don't realize how much of their emotions and thins I pick up on, and don't believe me when I bring it up at a later date because I don't think anything of it at the time. But I know what's going on. I can see through almost anyone's lies, or I am just really suspicious of most of the world's population. Can't trust anyone in a world like this.

I'm pretty sure I'm a very difficult person to read most of the time, I've had many people who are quite good at reading emotions and things completely misread me. Usually when I'm just happily relaxing they ask, "What's wrong or something like that?" Only for me to look at them with a confused look.

But yeah, I have a fair bit of empathy, but I'm probably not an Empath. It's mostly just that I sort of just take in other peoples actions and then eventually understand their personality traits. But I can easily be wrong, I was the other day, I know someone who decided to skip the first half of the school day (Skip spell 1, 2, and morning break), and when they disappeared at Morning break the following day I assumed they were wagging again, but they said they were just feeling sick (though I still don't think that is entirely true). I mean seriously, I was feeling really bad, I couldn't focus at all and felt almost as if I was going to faint at about midday but I still completed the school day.

 

[BobK]

Nope.

 

[photonrider]

Empathy, I believe, like humour are very humanlike traits. If an animal had a smiley face we can identify with it. When a dog gets close through bonding and becomes a friend, empathising with our moods, and seemingly understanding our words, they become a person's best friend. The more human one is, the more compassionate one is, the more one has learned to empathise without actually walking in another's shoes.

A snake cannot empathise. Though I'm sure there are people who try to wrap the odd constrictor around their necks (if not their pinkies).