Empathy Conversations - Testing their effectiveness as a policy-making instrument: A Pilot Study

Title
Empathy Conversations - Testing their effectiveness as a policy-making instrument: A Pilot Study
Publication Date
2016
Author(s)
Reeder, Lynne
Temple, Elizabeth
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5625-9298
Email: etemple3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:etemple3
Petheram, Lisa
Marks, Kylie
Stephens, Lyn
Type of document
Report
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Celtink Creative
Place of publication
Ballarat, Australia
UNE publication id
une:20448
Abstract
Empathy is often defined as the ability to sense other people's emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. This pilot study tested a method for creating empathic exchanges between two groups of fourteen people - one group of seven, who were in a position to influence policy development, and the other group of seven who were experiencing financial and employment difficulties. The differences in the participants' lived experiences were significant, and included financial wealth, organisational influence, and educational attainment. All participants were provided with background information and training, prior to having a phone conversation with a member of the other group. This preparation and conversation method was found to be practical and acceptable for both groups of participants. The study findings indicate that the background training and empathy conversation processes provided to the participants, enabled them to connect with the person from the other group at a depth that both surprised them and allowed them to take on the others perspective.
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