the future of empathy in education is the future of ... · 2/16/2019 · education standards that...

TheFutureofEmpathyinEducationistheFutureofEducationinEmpathy

LouAgosta,PhDFebruary16,2019

RossMedicalUniversity

*  DefinitionofEmpathy:theFourAspectsofEmpathy*  SecondaryEd:Readingliteraryfictionexpandsempathy*  PrimaryEd:Therootsofempathy(program)*  AllkindsofEd:Empathyversusbullying*  Empathyistrainable*  Theoneminuteempathytraining

Agenda

(c)LouAgosta,PhD/[email protected]/773-203-0269 2

EmpathicReceptivity[agraciousandgenerouslistening]

EmpathicUnderstanding[breakthroughtopossibility]

EmpathicInterpretation[“topdown”folkpsychologytheviewfrom“overthere”]

EmpathicResponsiveness[narrative:themovieofone’slife]

Howempathyfunctions…

[email protected]/773-203-0269

3

http://tinyurl.com/zpmv8zl

EmpathicReceptivity[emotionalcontagion/panic]

EmpathicUnderstanding[conformity/Labeling/applyingcategories–

stereotyping]

EmpathicInterpretation[mis-interpretation:

takethingsoutofcontext/un-charitable/

secondguessing]EmpathicResponsiveness

[thoughtlessremarks/gossip/emptytalkBlame/finger-pointing/

“Mondaymorningquarter-backing”]

HowEmpathyBreaksdown/Fails

[email protected]/773-203-0269 4

[1]

[2][3]

[4]

http://tinyurl.com/hdrh3es

*  Inonesetofexperimentscorrelatingempathyandliteraryfiction,MatthijsBalandMartijnVeltkampgivepeople(testsubjects)psychologicalteststhatmeasureattitudes,emotionalinvolvement,andempathicconcern,*  havethetestsubjectsreadfictionselections,andgivethesamepeoplethesametestsimmediatelyafterwardsandthenafullweeklater.

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy


*  thekeytoexpandingempathyisthereader’sbeingautomaticallycaughtupintheimaginativeworldofthenarrative.*  Thereaderis“transported”inimaginationtotheextentthattheindividualbecomesinattentivetothepassageoftimeorwhateverelseisgoingoninherorhisenvironment.

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy:Transported


*  whatquality,literaryfictioncandoistomakeempathypresentinthehere-and-now.*  Theinteractionbetweenthereaderandtheworldofthe

narrativebringsforthempathyitselfasalivingpresence.*  Werelatetoworksofartsuchasliteraturethewaywe

relatetootherhumanbeings–*  withempathicopenness,adesiretounderstand,a

tendencytointerpretandanempathicresponsiveness.

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy:Presence


*  DavidComerKiddandEmanueleCastanocorrelateliteraryfictionwithaversionofempathycalled“theoryofmind”(ToM).*  “Affective”ToM:Thisisthecapacitytoidentifyand

understandother’ssubjectivestates,includingpeople’saffectssuchasemotionsandsensationsofpleasureandpain.*  Thisisnotmerecognitiveperspectivetakingofdifferent

pointsofview,butincludesemotionssuchassadness,fear,anger,andsoon.

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy:ToM


*  KiddandCastanopointoutthatliteraryfictionsdisruptsourstereotypes.*  Thismaybewhyitworkstoexpandempathy.*  Whereasmanyofourmundanesocialexperiencesare

scriptedbyconventionandinformedbystereotypes,thosepresentedinliteraryfictionoftendisruptourexpectations.*  “Readersofliteraryfictionmustdrawonmoreflexible

interpretiveresourcestofeelingsthefeelingsandthoughtsofcharacters.Thatis,theymustengageToMprocesses”

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy:DisruptConformity


*  Literaryfictionspointsthewaytoovercomingconformity,inflexibility,andbiasbyputtingusinapositiontoexerciseourempathicunderstanding.*  Wemaytransientlyidentifywiththepoliceorsoldierwho

hastomakeasplitseconddecision–anddramaticallymakesthewrongone–creatingaconflictinwhichwetooexperiencethemoralambiguityofthesituation.*  Wecomeaway,notonlywithanewperspective,butalso

withanexperience–avicariousexperience–ofthestrugglethatisnotavailablemerelyinthinking.

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy:VicariousExperience


*  Twosignificanttake-aways.*  Thefirstfromaneducationalperspective:Thenewsetof

educationstandardsthatwereinitiallyadoptedby46U.S.states(theCommonCoreStateStandard)controversiallycallsforlessemphasisonfictioninsecondaryeducation.*  Whileweneedtodobetterinscienceandmath,tobe

sure,butitisnotclearthatthetrade-offisarewardingone.*  Lessemphasisonfiction–andlessempathy?

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathy:TakeAways


[1]Bal,P.M,Veltkamp,M.(2013).HowDoesFictionReadingInfluenceEmpathy?AnExperimentalInvestigationontheRoleofEmotionalTransportation.PLoSONE8(1):e55341,https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0055341;DavidComerKidd,EmanueleCastano.(2013).ReadingLiteraryFictionImprovesTheoryofMind,Science18October2013,Vol.342,Issue6156,pp.377–380,DOI:10.1126/science.1239918;KellyServick.(2013).WanttoReadMinds?ReadGoodBooks:http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2013/10/want-read-minds-read-goodbooks.[2]DavidComerKidd,EmanueleCastano.(2013).ReadingLiteraryFictionImprovesTheoryofMind,Science18October2013,Vol.342,Issue6156,pp.377–380,DOI:10.1126/science.1239918;KellyServick.(2013).WanttoReadMinds?ReadGoodBooks:http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2013/10/want-read-minds-read-goodbooks.

ReadingLiteraryFictionExpandsEmpathyReferences


*  Firststartedin1996andintroducedintoU.S.schoolsin2007,theROEprogramhasbeenfeaturedonthePublicBroadcastingSystem(PBS)intheUSA.ROEaimstobuildmorepeacefulandcaringcommunitiesbyexpandingempathyinchildren.*  PBSstaffreporter.(2013).Usingbabiestodecrease

aggressionandpreventbullying.*  PBSNewsHour:http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/

using-babies-to-decrease-aggression-prevent-bullying/* 

RootsofEmpathy(theProgram)


*  Therootsofempathyarepresentinfrontoftheclass:thebaby.*  Thepowerfulpresenceofthebabycallsforththeemotional

resonance,naturalcuriosity,andwonderofthechildren.*  Thebabyprovidestheempathylessons,ineffectbeingthe

teacher.*  Thebabyprovidestheopeningforconversationswiththe

childrenabouthumandevelopment,socialization,andbuildingacommunity.*  [MaryGordon.(2005).TheRootsofEmpathy:ChangingtheWorld

ChildbyChild.NewYork/Toronto:TheExperiment(ThomasAllenPublishers):250–256.]

TheRootsofEmpathy(the“teacher”)


*  Theprogramdocumentsan11%improvementinstandardizedachievementtestsfortheclassthatisexposedtotheRootsofEmpathyintervention.Thisisdefinitelynotapredictableresult.*  Teachersratedthreechild(student)behavioroutcomes

(physicalaggression,indirectaggression,andpro-socialbehavior).TheRootsofEmpathyprogramhadstatisticallysignificantandreplicatedbeneficialeffectsonallthreechildbehavioroutcomes.

TheRootsofEmpathy(theresults)


*  DanOlweus,whosegroundbreakingstudiesinhishomeland,Sweden(andNorway),haveprovidedarichsourceoffurtherresearch.*  Olweuswasthoroughinhisresearch,interviewingsome1,000childrenaswellastheirteachersandparents.Headministeredprojectiveimagingtests(thefamous“inkblot”Rorschachtest)tothosehehadidentifiedasbulliesorthetargetsofbullying.

Empathyversusbullying:whenrelationshipsget“weaponized”


*  Bullyingdefined:Olweusdefinesbullyingas(1)aggression(eitherverbalorphysicalabuse)towardsaperson;(2)thatoccurstowardsthepersonmorethanonceovertime;and(3)isbetweenpersonsofunequalpower(whetherphysicalorsocialrankorboth).

*  DanOlweus.(1973/1993).BullyinginSchool:WhatWeKnowandWhatWeCanDo.London:Wiley/Blackwell.

Empathyversusbullying:whenrelationshipsget“weaponized”


*  Empathymeanssettinglimitsandboundaries.*  Nooneshouldhavetosufferinisolationinthefaceofbullying.Partoftheabuseconsistspreciselyinthebully’sattempttoisolatethetarget.*  Sothebestoutcomesarethoseinwhichoneisabletotakeactiontobreakoutofone’sisolation:findingnewandwelcomingfriends,martialartslessons,foundingagay-straightallianceattheschool,chessorscienceclub,andsoon.(Easiersaidthandone.)

Bullying:Recommendationsforstudents


*  Thelastthingthatakidstressedoutbybullyingwantstothinkaboutisdocumentingwhatishappeningpreciselysothatonecanescalateandgetone’spowerback.*  Butthatiswhatisrequired.*  Onemayprefertoforgetaboutitall,butkeepingalog

withdatesandtimesandnames(ordescriptionsifonedoesnotknowthename)andwhatexactlywassaidordone,isgoingtobeanimportantpartofgettingone’spowerbackinthefaceofbullying.

Bullying:Recommendationsforstudents[continued]


*  Theideaisnottohaveagrownup“fix”theproblemforyou,buttofinda“trustedadvisor”toworkwithyouonwhatcanbedonetogetbackyourpower—oratleastsomeofit—inthefaceofbullying.*  Thoughtheanalogyisimperfect,thisisatadlikegetting

tutoringingeometryorscience.*  Donotexpectthetutortodoyourhomeworkforyou;but

togetheryouworktoacquiretheskills,soyoucannotonlysurvivethelunchroomorschoolbusride,butalsoevenhavefunandprosper.

Bullying:Recommendationsforstudents[continued]


*  Thisiswhereempathygoesalongway.*  Startbylistening.Yourjobasaparentistosupportyourchildandtohelpyourchildregulatethechild’sfeelingsandbehavior.*  Yourjobistohelpthechildregainanemotionalequilibriuminthefaceoflife’svicissitudes,includingbullying.

Bullying:Recommendationsforparents


*  Oneissuethatshouldnotbeoverlookedishowtheadultisinevitablyconfrontedwithhisorherownfateasachildinthefaceofbullying.*  Inshort,ifyouhadabadexperienceinbullyingthatisstill

unintegratedasanadult,itisgoingtobetherewhenyourchildcomestoyou.*  Ifyouhaveunresolvedissuesaroundbullyinginyourown

history,whenyourchildcomestoyouaboutbullying,achallengingsituationbecomesallthemorechallengingforyou.*  Youhavetodistinguishthechild’sproblemfromyourownin

ordertodoyourjob.Asaparent,yourpriorityistosolvethechild’sproblem,notyourown.

Bullying:Recommendationsforparents[continued]


*  Thetoughjobofparentingoccursatfourlevels:*  (1)providingguidancetoone’sstudentonhowtofendfor

oneself;*  (2)providingexplicittraininginself-defenseorassertivenessif

thestudentcanbeenrolledinthevalueofdoingso;*  (3)reachingouttotheparentsoftheallegedbullyifthereis

anychancetheyareresponsivepeople,whoareabletohaveacivilconversation;*  (4)interveningwithschoolauthorities(orlawenforcement)

asalastresortifnoothersolutioncanbefound.

Bullying:Recommendationsforparents[continued]


*  Thefirstempathylessonforadministratorsisthatempathyisonaspectrumthatextendsfrombeingfirmaboutboundariesallthewayto“toughlove.”*  Aseveryadministratorknows,educationisimpossibleifaschoolthatis“outofcontrol”surroundstheclassroom.*  Aschoolisasystem,andthehallwaysandclassroommustbecalminorderforeducationtowork.

Bullying:recommendationsforteachersandadministrators

[continued]


*  interventionisnotthesameasautomaticdiscipline.*  Suspensionandexpulsionshouldbeusedonlywhenthe

immediateconcernissafety;andfollowedupwithevaluationfortheindividualfordepression,anxiety,conductdisorder,otheremotionalissues,orproblemsathome.*  Somebulliesareindeedthugs,andneedtoberemovedfrom

thecommunitytoprotectthecommunityfromthem;butotherbulliesarethemselvessurvivorsofabusivesituations(e.g.,athome).*  Theyexhibitmentalhealthissues,haveadiagnosablecognitive

impairment,andrequireintervention.



*  Empathybuildscommunity;andcommunitiesdemonstrateempathybybeinginclusive.*  Whatwouldananti-bullyingclubevenlooklike?ItmightlooklikeaLGBTalliance;butitmightalsolooklikeajogging,biking,orhistoryclub.*  Don’tjustbe“anti,”asproperasthatisinthecaseofbullying;butbe“pro”engagement,inclusion,andcommunity.*  AsDanielBurnhamsaidindifferentcontext:“Makenosmallplans.”Empathyisthefoundationofnosmallcommunity.



TheOneMinuteEmpathyTraining:Exercise


Ican’thearyoubecauseIamconstantlytalkingtomyselfabout

whatyouaresaying

* Nothowtolistenbetter–howtoexpandone’slistening…* Walkingdownthestreet–commentingonthepeople–what’sfordinner–whatuptomorrow–what’swrong–what’sright(etc.)* Stopandgiveitalisten….


* Notanon-offswitch* Rathermorelikeadimmer/rheostat–adialthatcanbeturnedupordowntoincrease(ordecrease)thegranularityofthefilter* Thisiswheretrainingandpracticemakeadifference…


Thekeytotuningempathyupordown…?


Whatdoesitmeantotrainempathy?Removeobstaclessuchascynicism[e.g.,Dilbert],categorizingpeople,

labeling,pigeon-holing

Whatdoesitmeantotraininempathy?

* Mostpeoplearenaturallyempathic* Empathyisstopped,limited,reduced,constrainedby:shame,guilt,fear,judgments,blame,evaluations,authority,hierarchy,lowself-esteem,egocentrism,projection,resignation,narcissism,cynicism,denial…


Whatdoesitmeantotraininempathy?[continued]

* Removetheobstaclestoempathy,andempathynaturallyunfolds,showsup,develops


*  Empathyisnotamerepsychologicalmechanism,butthecontextforlearninganddevelopment*  Empathyisthecontextforrelatednesstoothers*  Empathyisthatwithinwhichlearningcomesforth*  Empathyistrainable*  Theoneminuteempathytraining

Conclusions


*  Bazelon,Emily.(2012).SticksandStones:DefeatingtheCultureofBullyingandRediscoveringthePowerofCharacterandEmpathy.NewYork:RandomHouse.

*  Black,DavidS.,SteveW.Cole,MichaelR.Irwin,ElizabethBreen,NatalieM.St.Cyr,NoraNazarian,DharmaS.Khalsa,andHelenLavretsky.(2013).YogicmeditationreversesNF-kBandIRF-relatedtranscriptomedynamicsinleukocytesoffamilydementiacaregiversinarandomizedcontrolledtrial,Psychoneuroendocrinology,2013March38(3):348–355.

*  Brunero,Scott,ScottLamontandMelissaCoates.(2010).AReviewofempathyeducationinnursing,NursingInquiry:Vol.17,No.1,March2010:65–74.

*  Chiu,Tony,MingLam,KlodianaKolomitro,andFlannyC.Alamparambil.(2011).Empathytraining:Methods,evaluationpractices,andvalidity,JournalofMultiDisciplinaryEvaluation,Vol.7,No.16:162–200.Coke,JayS.,GregoryBatson,andKatherineMcDavis.(1978).Empathicmediationofhelping:Atwo-stagemodel,JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology36(7):752–766.DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.36.7.752.(c)LouAgosta,PhD/[email protected]/773-203-0269 34

References[continued]

*  Davis,MarkH.,LauraConklin,AmySmith,andCarolLuce.(1996).Effectofperspectivetakingonthecognitiverepresentationofpersons:Amergingofselfandother,JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,Vol.70,No.4,Apr1996:713–726.

*  Segerstrom,SuzanneC.andGregoryE.Miller.(2004).Psychologicalstressandthehumanimmunesystem:Ameta-analyticstudyof30yearsofinquiry,PsycholBulletin.2004July;130(4):601–630.

*  Simmons,Rachel.(2002).OddGirlOutTheHiddenCultureofAggressioninGirls.NewYork:Harvest(Harcourt).

*  Slavich,GeorgeM.andStevenW.Cole.(2013).Theemergingfieldofhumansocialgenomics,ClinicalPsycholScience,2013Jul;1(3):331–348.



*  DelCanale,Louis,V.Maio,XWang,GRossi,M.Hojat,andJ.S.Gonnella.(2012).Therelationshipbetweenphysicianempathyanddiseasecomplications:AnempiricalstudyofprimarycarephysiciansandtheirdiabeticpatientsinParma,Italy,AcademicMedicine2012,87(9):1243–1249.

*  Gordon,Mary.(2005).TheRootsofEmpathy:ChangingtheWorldChildbyChild.NewYork/Toronto:TheExperiment(ThomasAllenPublishers).

*  Hadwin,J.,SimonBaron-Cohen,P.Howlin,andK.Hill.(1997).Doesteachingtheoryofmindhaveaneffectontheabilitytodevelopconversationinchildrenwithautism?JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,27:519–537.DOI:10.1023/A:1025826009731.

*  Hojat,M.R.,DanielZ.Louis,FredW.Markham,RichardWender,CarolRabinowitz,andJosephS.Gonnella.(2011),Physiciansempathyandclinicaloutcomesfordiabeticpatients,AcademicMedicineMar,86(3):359–64.DOI:10.1097ACM.0b013e3182086fe1

*  Maes,M.(1995).Evidenceforanimmuneresponseinmajordepression:Areviewandhypothesis,ProgressinNeuro-PsychopharmaclogyandBiologicalPsychiatry19:11–38.

*  _______.(1999).Majordepressionandactivationoftheinflammatoryresponsesystem,AdvancesinExperimentalMedicineandBiology461:25–46.


Reference[continued]

*  Olden,Christine.(1953).Onadultempathywithchildren,PsychoanalyticStudyoftheChild,Vol.8[annual]:111–126.

*  Olweus,Dan.(1973/1993).BullyinginSchool:WhatWeKnowandWhatWeCanDo.London:Wiley/Blackwell.

*  Ozcan,C.T.,F.Oflaz,andB.Bakir.(2012).Theeffectofastructuredempathycourseonthestudentsofamedicalandanursingschool,InternationalNursingReview,Vol.59,Issue4,December2012:532–538.DOI:10.1111/j.1466-7657.2012.01019.x.

*  Pecukonis,E.V.(1990).Acognitive/affectiveempathytrainingprogramasafunctionofegodevelopmentinaggressiveadolescentfemales,Adolescence,25:59–76.

*  Riess,Helen.(2013).Thepowerofempathy,TEDxMiddlebury:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baHrcC8B4WM[checkedon03/23/2017].

*  ____________,JohnM.Kelley,GordonKraft-Todd,LidiaSchapira,andJoeKossowsky.(2014).Theinfluenceofthepatient-clinicianrelationshiponhealthcareoutcomes:Asystematicreviewandmeta-analysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials,PLOS,Vol.9,No.4|e94207:1–7:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0094207.

*  ____________,JohnM.Kelley,RobertW.Bailey,EmilyJ.DunnandMargotPhillips.(2012).Empathytrainingforresidentphysicians:Arandomizedcontrolledtrialofaneuroscience-informedcurriculum,JournalGeneralInternalMedicine,2012Oct;27(10):1280–1286.DOI:10.1007/s11606-012-2063-z.(c)LouAgosta,PhD/[email protected]/773-203-0269 37


*  Agosta,Lou.(2010).EmpathyintheContextofPhilosophy.London:PalgraveMacmillan.*  _____________.(2011).Empathyandsympathyinethics,TheInternetEncyclopediaof

Philosophy,apeerreviewedonlineresource:www.iep.utm.edu/emp-symp/[checked01/19/2018].

*  _____________.(2013).Arumorofempathyinpsychology(themovie):http://empathyinthecontextofphilosophy.com/2013/04/28/a-rumor-of-empathy-in-psychology/[checked2018-01-20(caution:anextractspacemaybeinsertedduetolinebreak(s))].

*  ____________.(2014).ARumorofEmpathy:RewritingEmpathyintheContextofPhilosophy.NewYork:PalgravePivot.

*  ____________.(2014a).Adelicacyofempathy:Themanymeaningsof‘sympathy’inHume,PsicologiaemPesquisa,8(1):3–14.DOI:10.5327/Z1982-1247201400010002.

*  _____________.(2014b).Arumorofempathy:ReconstructingHeidegger’scontributiontoempathyandempathicclinicalpractice,Medicine,Healthcare,andPhilosophy,17(2):281–292.DOI:10.1007/s11019-013-9506-0.

*  ______________.(2015).ARumorofEmpathy:Resistance,Narrative,RecoveryinPsychoanalysisandPsychotherapy.London:Routledge.



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