Measurable predictors of hermeneutic empathy: relationship focus and emotional intelligence

Abstract

In modern scientific literature today, two areas of study of empathy have emerged: empathy as compassion and an emotional response to the situation of the Other and empathy as a “tool of knowledge”. The widespread use of this concept in advisory practice prompts to clarify and concretize this important concept. The author clarifies the Rogerian concept of empathy, which is widespread in Russian psychology. The paper presents a pilot study of two groups of psychology students, one of which is attuned to relationships as an important criterion for the effectiveness of counselling, the other group considers the client's motivation to be significant. The study of emotional empathy and emotional intelligence confirmed the hypothesis that students who are attuned to relationships will have lower emotional empathy, while emotional intelligence as an indirect indicator of hermeneutic empathy is higher, and vice versa in the second group. The study showed the statistical significance of these differences on some scales and on the manifestation of emotional empathy. The paper proposes a substantiation for this phenomenon. Also, the ability for hermeneutic empathy as another way of non-verbal communication can be indirectly confirmed by the diagnosis of emotional intelligence.