This field study invites you to analyze one example of empathy and one of disempathy in the situational contexts in which th

This field study invites you to analyze one example of empathy and one of disempathy in the situational contexts in which they occurred.  These examples may come from your own experience or you may interview someone about an experience they had.  I encourage you to observe your own cognitive and emotional processes of empathy/ disempathy in your everyday life for a few days and take notes as part of this assignment.     

What factors facilitated and constrained empathy (and compassion) and how did this happen?  What meaning making accompanied this empathy/disempathy?  How did the people involved experience it?  You should address each of these points in your analysis of each example.  You may raise other questions and address other points also, if you wish.

Use relevant concepts in your analysis: empathy; compassion; resonance; cognitive empathy; compassionate empathy; ignorance v. acts of ignoring; parochial empathy; empathy bias; ideology; feeling rules.  

You don’t have to use all of these; use whatever is relevant and necessary for your analysis, which would be a minimum of at least two of the above terms per example plus whatever else you decide to use; you will be analyzing other factors that affect empathy, as well, so you might want to bring in other concepts in addition to those above.

In the first paragraph, briefly introduce the two examples you are analyzing and why you chose those examples.  In the following paragraphs provide a well-organized analysis of your examples of empathy and disempathy.  In the concluding paragraph, reflect on what you learned, found interesting, implications, etc.