2024
Bollen, Caroline
Empathy 2.0: What it means to be empathetic in a diverse and digital world PhD Thesis
2024, ISBN: 978-94-6366-864-4.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Affective empathy, Cognitive empathy, Empathy
@phdthesis{Bollen2024,
title = {Empathy 2.0: What it means to be empathetic in a diverse and digital world},
author = {Caroline Bollen},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4233/uuid:5c1d9753-ab5b-4812-ab29-b66a6d0d772dhttps://www.esdit.nl/simon_stevin_thesis_caroline_bollen/},
doi = {10.4233/uuid:5c1d9753-ab5b-4812-ab29-b66a6d0d772d},
isbn = {978-94-6366-864-4},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-05-28},
urldate = {2024-05-28},
issue = {1574-941X},
abstract = {We have a general idea of what the term empathy refers to. We typically use the concept in a normative way - to express appreciation, concern, value, risks, etc, - with regard to how we relate to one another. However, the exact meaning of the concept is far from agreed upon. As such, it actually is unclear whether and how we can fairly use this concept for ethical reflection and guidance. But we do so anyway, and that is not without problems. One of these problems is that there is a strong link between how empathy is operationalised in research and the exclusion of autistic empathy. Furthermore, communication technologies (CTs) significantly shape our social lives and our ways of relating to one another, and it is unclear how to best understand empathy in light of this.
The aim of this dissertation is to expose present-day problems with how we understand empathy and provide a solution: an account of empathy as a normative concept to better serve the 21st century and its social and sociotechnical challenges. The research in this dissertation highlights a fundamental and humbling notion: my experience of the world is not the same as yours, but also not completely disconnected from it. Across differences, along similarities, we share a world with each other. I hope that this work on empathy 2.0 can help us understand and navigate that a bit better.},
keywords = {Affective empathy, Cognitive empathy, Empathy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
We have a general idea of what the term empathy refers to. We typically use the concept in a normative way - to express appreciation, concern, value, risks, etc, - with regard to how we relate to one another. However, the exact meaning of the concept is far from agreed upon. As such, it actually is unclear whether and how we can fairly use this concept for ethical reflection and guidance. But we do so anyway, and that is not without problems. One of these problems is that there is a strong link between how empathy is operationalised in research and the exclusion of autistic empathy. Furthermore, communication technologies (CTs) significantly shape our social lives and our ways of relating to one another, and it is unclear how to best understand empathy in light of this.
The aim of this dissertation is to expose present-day problems with how we understand empathy and provide a solution: an account of empathy as a normative concept to better serve the 21st century and its social and sociotechnical challenges. The research in this dissertation highlights a fundamental and humbling notion: my experience of the world is not the same as yours, but also not completely disconnected from it. Across differences, along similarities, we share a world with each other. I hope that this work on empathy 2.0 can help us understand and navigate that a bit better.
The aim of this dissertation is to expose present-day problems with how we understand empathy and provide a solution: an account of empathy as a normative concept to better serve the 21st century and its social and sociotechnical challenges. The research in this dissertation highlights a fundamental and humbling notion: my experience of the world is not the same as yours, but also not completely disconnected from it. Across differences, along similarities, we share a world with each other. I hope that this work on empathy 2.0 can help us understand and navigate that a bit better.
2023
Bollen, Caroline
A reflective guide on the meaning of empathy in autism research Journal Article
In: Methods in Psychology, vol. 8, no. 100109, 2023.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Affective empathy, Autism, Cognitive empathy, Double empathy problem, Empathy, Neurodiversity, Theory of mind
@article{Bollen2023,
title = {A reflective guide on the meaning of empathy in autism research},
author = {Caroline Bollen},
doi = {10.1016/j.metip.2022.100109},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-11-15},
urldate = {2023-11-15},
journal = {Methods in Psychology},
volume = {8},
number = {100109},
keywords = {Affective empathy, Autism, Cognitive empathy, Double empathy problem, Empathy, Neurodiversity, Theory of mind},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Bollen, Caroline
Towards a Clear and Fair Conceptualization of Empathy Journal Article
In: Social Epistemology, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 637-655, 2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Autism, Empathy, Epistemic injustice, Neurodiversity
@article{nokey,
title = {Towards a Clear and Fair Conceptualization of Empathy},
author = {Caroline Bollen},
url = {https://www.esdit.nl/towards-a-clear-and-fair-conceptualization-of-empathy/},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2023.2227963},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-07-26},
journal = {Social Epistemology},
volume = {37},
number = {5},
pages = {637-655},
abstract = {Empathy is operationalised and measured in various different ways in research. I have identified several trends in empathy research that have resulted in what I refer to as neurotypical gatekeeping of the concept of empathy. Narrow assumptions on the relationship between experiences and expressions have made the concept exclusive to those who are perceived as neurotypical. In several ways, this has biased our knowledge of empathy, especially regarding autism. This does not only invalidate autistic empathy, but also sustains a harmful and stigmatizing narrative of autism. In this paper, I expand on the neurotypical gatekeeping of empathy as a matter of epistemic injustice and argue why and how neurodiversity calls for a reconceptualization of empathy. I continue by building a proposal for a clear and fair notion of empathy. I argue that we need to settle the dispute on empathy and morality by accepting the value associated with empathy in society, and use an anti-discriminatory normative conceptualization accordingly. I propose to understand empathy as appropriately attending to experiential differences and similarities, balancing between – what I introduce as - distantism and proximism. I discuss conceptual and methodological implications of this approach to empathy, as well as its application to neurodiversity.},
keywords = {Autism, Empathy, Epistemic injustice, Neurodiversity},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Empathy is operationalised and measured in various different ways in research. I have identified several trends in empathy research that have resulted in what I refer to as neurotypical gatekeeping of the concept of empathy. Narrow assumptions on the relationship between experiences and expressions have made the concept exclusive to those who are perceived as neurotypical. In several ways, this has biased our knowledge of empathy, especially regarding autism. This does not only invalidate autistic empathy, but also sustains a harmful and stigmatizing narrative of autism. In this paper, I expand on the neurotypical gatekeeping of empathy as a matter of epistemic injustice and argue why and how neurodiversity calls for a reconceptualization of empathy. I continue by building a proposal for a clear and fair notion of empathy. I argue that we need to settle the dispute on empathy and morality by accepting the value associated with empathy in society, and use an anti-discriminatory normative conceptualization accordingly. I propose to understand empathy as appropriately attending to experiential differences and similarities, balancing between – what I introduce as - distantism and proximism. I discuss conceptual and methodological implications of this approach to empathy, as well as its application to neurodiversity.
2022
van Grunsven, Janna; Roeser, Sabine
AAC Technology, Autism, and the Empathic Turn Journal Article
In: Social Epistemology, vol. 36, iss. 1, pp. 95-110, 2022.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: AAC Technology, Autism, Design for emotions, Empathy, Participatory sense-making
@article{nokey,
title = {AAC Technology, Autism, and the Empathic Turn},
author = {Janna van Grunsven and Sabine Roeser},
doi = {10.1080/02691728.2021.1897189},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-01},
journal = {Social Epistemology},
volume = {36},
issue = {1},
pages = {95-110},
keywords = {AAC Technology, Autism, Design for emotions, Empathy, Participatory sense-making},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2020
Feijt, Milou A.; de Kort, Yvonne A. W.; Westerink, Joyce H. D. M.; Okel, Sanne E.; IJsselsteijn, Wijnand A.
The effect of simulated feedback about psychophysiological synchronization on perceived empathy and connectedness. Journal Article
In: Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine, 18, 117-121. , 2020.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Connectedness, Empathy
@article{Feijt2020b,
title = {The effect of simulated feedback about psychophysiological synchronization on perceived empathy and connectedness. },
author = {Milou A. Feijt and Yvonne A.W. de Kort and Joyce H.D.M. Westerink and Sanne E. Okel and Wijnand A. IJsselsteijn},
doi = {https://www.arctt.info/volume-18-summer-2020},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-06-01},
urldate = {2020-06-01},
journal = {Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine, 18, 117-121. },
keywords = {Connectedness, Empathy},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}