Research Based Practice
Empathic Intervision is the result of scientific inquiries into best empathy practices. This page showcases scientific and other institutions, furthering our collective knowledge and practice of empathy. The work done in these places informs the Empathic Intervision process. We will also report on the research results of the application of Empathic Intervision itself.
Because we believe firmly in research based practice and practice based research, we offer the option to accompany the implementation of Empathic Intervision with organisational mixed-method research.
Practice Based Research
In organisations, we measure what we treasure. Empathic Intervision is applied as a means to an end. We therefore look at whether Empathic Intervision leads to its desired outcomes. When used in decision making, the effectiveness of Empathic Intervision needs to be measured in terms of the adequacy of the decision making process and its actionable consequences. When used as peer support, research could look at organisational culture, stress and willingness to learn (to name but a few).
Research accompanying Empathic Intervision is made-to-measure in close co-creation with our clients.
Empathy Research and Practice Elsewhere
- The Center for Healthy Minds is a research Center which explores the mind to learn how to cultivate well-being and relieve suffering through a scientific understanding of the mind.
- The Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics, situated in the Department of Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine, is devoted to training medical students and health professionals as well as conducting high impact research and scholarship in the three thematic components reflected in its name.
- The Compassionate Mind Foundation promotes an evolution and neuroscience informed approach to compassion which now forms the basis of a psychotherapy (Compassion Focused Therapy) and Compassionate Mind Training.
- The Culture of Empathy website is a growing portal for resources and information about the values of empathy and compassion. It contains the largest collection of; articles, conferences, definitions, experts, history, interviews, videos, science and much more about empathy and compassion.
- The Empathy and Moral Psychology (EMP) Lab studies the affective and motivational mechanisms involved in empathy and moral decision-making.
- The Empathy and Relational Science Program focuses on empathy in the patient-clinician relationship.
- The Greater Good Science Center studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society. Their Greater Good Magazine, often reports on the latest empathy research.
- The Institute for Research on Unlimited Love seeks to increase public awareness of the growing dialogue on Unlimited Love that is taking place at the interface of (1) new scientific investigations (e.g., in the health sciences, psychology, sociology, neuroscience, physics, and mathematics); (2) insights of the world’s great philosophical, spiritual and theological traditions; and (3) inspiring works of love by exemplars across the world.
- The Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research (iPEAR) research focuses on extremes of empathy.
- The Laboratory on Social & Affective Neuroscience conducts research aimed at understanding the social, cognitive, and neural basis of social processes that include empathy, altruism, and aggression.
- The primary mission of the Living Links Center is to study human evolution by investigating our close genetic, anatomical, cognitive, and behavioral similarities with great apes.
- The Mind & Life Institute is a non-profit organization that seeks to alleviate suffering and promote flourishing by integrating science with contemplative practice and wisdom traditions.
- The Oxford Empathy Programme (OxEmCare) is an interdisciplinary research group that works to ensure that the evidence-based benefits of empathic care are implemented into the heart of all healthcare settings and interactions.
- Started in 1996, Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based classroom program to build caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. It strives to break the intergenerational cycle of violence and poor parenting.
- The Social & Affective Neuroscience Society (SANS) is committed to research investigating the neural basis of social and affective processes.
- Perceiving what others feel and want and reacting accordingly is both complex and important. The mission of the Social Brain Lab is to understand the neural bases of these processes.
- The Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, leverages a wide array of techniques (including behavioral testing, psychophysiology, neuroimaging, and field research) to examine the cognitive bases of social behaviors.
- Start Empathy, an initiative of Ashoka, is a community of individuals and institutions dedicated to building a future in which every child masters empathy.
