Empathy and the Disunity of Vicarious Experiences

Pierre Jacob

Abstract


Abstract: What makes one individual’s experience vicarious is that it is both similar to, and caused by, another’s psychological state. Vicarious responses are mediated by the observation of another’s goal-directed or expressive action. While the evidence from cognitive neuroscience suggests the ubiquity of vicarious responses to others’ goals, intentions, sensations and emotions, the question is: is the general function of vicarious responses to understand another’s mind? In this paper, I argue for a dual view of the function of vicarious responses: while empathetic responses are other-directed, contagious responses are self-centered.

Keywords: Empathy; Vicarious Responses; Action; Self; Otherness.

L'empatia e la disunità delle esperienze vicarie

Riassunto: Quel che rende un’esperienza individuale un’esperienza vicaria è al contempo il suo essere simile a, ma anche causata da, uno stato psicologico di un altro individuo. Le risposte vicarie sono mediate dall’osservazione dell’azione di un altro nel suo essere diretta al raggiungimento di uno scopo oppure nel suo portare a espressione qualcosa. Se l’evidenza proveniente dalla neuroscienza cognitiva ci autorizza a pensare come ubiquitarie le risposte vicarie nei confronti di obiettivi, intenzioni, sensazioni ed emozioni altrui, la questione che resta aperta è la seguente: la funzione generale delle risposte vicarie è quella di comprendere la mente altrui? Nel presente lavoro intendo proporre un duplice punto di vista sulla funzione delle risposte vicarie: mentre le risposte empatiche sono rivolte verso gli altri, le risposte determinate da esperienze di contagio sono centrate sul sé.

Parole chiave: Empatia; Risposte vicarie; Azione; Sé; Alterità.


Parole chiave


Empathy; Vicarious Responses; Action; Self; Otherness.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4453/rifp.2015.0002

Copyright (c) 2015 Pierre Jacob

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