When I listen to this song. I think about how my mom would react to my death.
I'm not sure if I'm sad or if I'm just mirroring her possible reaction.
Mirroring has no basis in objective reality. It is a perception based purely in the mind of the observer. Which explains how we can be empathetic toward characters in a movie or story. It is simply the process of imagining the emotions of someone else (whether that person exists or not is irrelevant).
So yes, this is a form of empathy.
by DaddyMirroring has no basis in objective reality. It is a perception based purely in the mind of the observer. Which explains how we can be empathetic toward characters in a movie or story. It is simply the process of imagining the emotions of someone else (whether that person exists or not is irrelevant).
So that being said. Would a sociopath do this ? Imagine what another person might be feeling. Like in my case.
Or is that just being human ?
Yes, a sociopath is capable of empathy. They simply have the capacity to shut off those feelings when they need to do so. They are not burdened by emotions or overwhelmed by them in the same way others are. It's theorized that they have an empathy on/off switch.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-23431793
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263964.php
Old theorists believed they were unable to experience empathy. But infact they simply have the capacity to suppress it and only call upon it when needed. For example: In situations where a sociopath needs to manipulate another, it would be in their interest to understand the emotions of another, this ability is only possible through the empathy neuron system, in which a person simulates the emotions of another persons circumstances in their own mind. This is why sociopaths can be both apathetic and manipulative/charming.
The opposite example would be someone suffering from autism who is incapable of understanding emotions and to that end are incapable of manipulation.