What Is Empathy And Empathy?

A distinct area of investigation points to the value that human-animal interactions have for children, benefiting them psychologically, physiologically and emotionally, especially for cat and dog owners (Daly and Morton,2006). For example, research have shown that the presence of a dog can reduce stress (Nagengast et al 1997; hansen et al 1999) and improve social cohesion in children (Kotrschal and Ortbauer 2003). An increasing body of research that is of increasing interest to researchers is the relationship between human-animal interaction and empathy (Daly and Morton,2006). Many studies suggest that the relationship between a child and a pet has positive results regarding the development of empathy and compassion (Daly and Morton,2006).

There is an ongoing discussion of whether empathy is cognitive or affective. Cognitive empathy is associated with understanding another's emotional state, while affecting empathy is the ability to share this state (Eisenberg and Strayer, 1987). More recent definitions hold the view that empathy is a combination of both components (Mehrabian and Eipstein,1972; Daly and Morton,2003; Alterman et al 2003). Therefore, empathy can be defined as the process of accurately recognizing, comprehending and sharing another person's feelings ( Decety, 2011).

Individuals with higher levels of empathy are responsible of the consequences of their actions toward others so it is less likely to hurt other people and more likely to help them (McPhedran, 2009). Therefore empathy function as a wall against aggression because it provides an immediate feedback that make individuals aware and more sympathetic of another's suffering, so aggressive actions are discouraged (Hastings et al., 2000). In addition of aggression inhibition, empathy functions as a motivator in eliciting altruistic feelings (Hastings, Zahn-Waxler, Robinson, Usher, & Bridges, 2000; Palmer,2005; Zahn-Waxler & Radke-Yarrow,

They also reported a significant relationship between human-human empathy and attitudes toward animals. More specifically, individuals who demonstrated higher empathic concern exhibited more welfare-related attitudes toward animals (Taylor & Signal, 2005). The results suggest that higher human directed empathy does correlate with more positive attitudes towards animals.

In order to promote the development of empathy toward both animals and humans in children and adolescents, humane education programs have been developed (Vockell and Hodal 1980; fitzgerald 1981; Malcarne 1983; Ascione and Weber 1996; Sprinkle 2008).

Taylor and Signal (2005) have recommended further research be carried out to examine the specific links between empathy and attitudes to animals given the potential importance of attitudes towards animals in designing strategies for remedying deficits in empathy and related anti-social behaviours. Given the capability that establishing these links may have for early intervention and prevention of antisocial behaviour (Ascione & Weber 1996) it stands to reason that links between empathy and attitudes to animals need to be more explicitly investigated.

1.4 Empathy and