The "level of empathy" can be understood by differentiating the types of empathy a person can exhibit. According to the provided reference, there are three major levels of empathy:
Levels of Empathy
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Empathy | The ability to understand another person's thoughts and beliefs. It's about knowing what someone is thinking and why. Often referred to as "perspective-taking." | Understanding why a colleague is stressed due to an upcoming deadline, even if you wouldn't feel stressed. |
| Emotional Empathy | The ability to feel what another person feels emotionally. It's experiencing their emotions alongside them. Also known as "affective empathy." | Feeling sadness when a friend shares news of a personal loss. |
| Compassionate Empathy | This level goes beyond understanding and feeling; it includes taking action to help alleviate the other person's suffering. It combines both cognitive and emotional aspects. | Noticing a coworker is struggling and offering to help them with their tasks to ease their burden and stress. |
Therefore, the "level of empathy" refers to the type of empathetic response a person is capable of displaying, ranging from simply understanding another's perspective to actively trying to ease their suffering. The levels are not necessarily hierarchical, but rather represent different facets of empathy. One might possess a high degree of emotional empathy but a lower degree of cognitive empathy, or vice versa.
