Empathy in media research

Definitions

Empathy has been defined in different ways in an attempt by researchers to clarify diverse aspects of the phenomenon. Dolf Zillmann, while at the University of Alabama, cited various meanings of empathy by fellow researchers that, on the surface, it may appear to conflict with one another. He nevertheless brushes this apparent conflict aside with the assertion that the common core of these various explanations is that they relate to a subject's emotional responses to and affinity with other peoples' emotions and their reactions to those emotions (p. 136).

Tamborini examined empathy as a “set of constructs,” among which are wandering imagination, fictional involvement, humanistic orientation, and emotional contagion. The first two constructs point to the imagination as a necessary criterion for empathy to occur. Those with a higher degree of imaginative tendency could be especially subject to a heightened empathetic experience. The third construct, humanistic orientation, refers to concern for the character. Under this construct, one may become deeply involved in the well-being of the character. By extension, one may become highly empathetic to the plight of the character. The fourth construct, emotional contagion, refers to the emotions of fellow viewers and the role they may play in influencing one's own emotions. Thus, the displayed emotions of those around one may affect one's own level, or type, of emotional display.