The Relationship Between Empathy and Held Stereotypes of the Homeless

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Recommended: Sociological perspective on homelessness

Homelessness is a social suffering experienced by human beings throughout the world. In 2013, the NYC Department of Homeless Services reported that about 1 out of every 2,662 people out of the general New York City population of 8,244,910, experienced homelessness (NYC Department of Homeless Services, 2013). Preceding these findings, in 2012, the US Department of Housing and Development reported that New York’s homeless population accounts for about 11 percent of the US’s homeless population (2012 Annual Homeless Assessment Report). In our society, the homeless are a highly stigmatized group that is subject to negative stereotypes about their situation of being homeless (Knecht & Martinez, 2009). Stereotypes are generalizations about a group of people (cultural, ethnic, racial, social, socioeconomic status etc.) that are held as rigid beliefs despite not being true. They can be positive or negative, and can be attributed to a person’s internal characteristics or external characteristics (Mio, Barker & Tumambing 2011). Some of the common attributed stereotypes to individuals experiencing homeless are that they are all alcoholics, mentally ill, dangerous, or substance abusers (Knecht & Martinez, 2009). As a result, homeless individuals are often overlooked as being human beings who can benefit from increased help from society in terms of policy and advocacy. What part of human beings leads them to be inclined to aid or ignore a homeless individual as a result of their understanding, or lack of understanding of “the other’s” current emotions?

Empathy, is a self-conscious characteristic human beings hold that allows them to understand another individual’s situation and feelings (Segal, Cimino, Gerdes &Wagaman, 2013). In regard to ho...

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Mio, Jeffrey S., Barker, Lori A.,Tumambing, Jaydee S.. Multicultural Psychology:

Understanding Our Diverse Communities. USA: Oxford Press,2011.Print.

Segal, E. A., Cimino, A. N., Gerdes, K. E., Harmon, J. K., & Wagaman, M. (2013). A

confirmatory factor analysis of the Interpersonal and Social Empathy Index. Journal Of The Society For Social Work And Research, 4(3)

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Community Planning

and Development (2012). The 2012 Point- in- Time Estimates of Homelessness.

Retrieved 1 March 2014.

https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/2012AHAR_PITEstimates.pdf

Tompsett, C. J., Toro, P. A., Guzicki, M., Manrique, M., & Zatakia, J. (2006).

Homelessness in the United States: Assessing Changes in Prevalence

and Public Opinion, 1993–2001. American Journal Of Community Psychology, 37(1/2), 47-61.

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