Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Practice Test

How is empathy defined in a social context?

1. Feeling "for" someone

2. Understanding someone’s feelings

3. Feeling "with" someone

4. Feeling pity for someone

The correct answer is: Feeling "with" someone

Empathy in a social context is fundamentally about the ability to resonate emotionally with another person's experiences or feelings, which is aptly captured by the understanding of "feeling 'with' someone." This interpretation underscores the shared emotional connection, indicating a deep awareness and an emotional bond that goes beyond mere recognition or acknowledgment of someone else's feelings. Essentially, it involves putting oneself in another's shoes and experiencing their emotions alongside them, fostering a sense of shared understanding and compassion. The other options, while related to empathy, do not encompass its full essence. Feeling "for" someone might suggest sympathy or compassion but lacks the depth of emotional connection involved in true empathy. Understanding someone’s feelings involves cognitive recognition, which is part of empathy but stops short of the emotional involvement that "feeling 'with'" implies. Meanwhile, feeling pity for someone can imply a sense of superiority or detachment, which contradicts the essence of empathy that thrives on mutual connection and understanding. Thus, "feeling 'with' someone" captures the essence of empathy as it exists in social contexts.