Empathy in phenomenological research: Employing Edith Stein's account of empathy as a practical and ethical guide

Abstract

An ‘affective turn’ has come about in philosophy of mind debates and the notion of empathy is increasingly influential. This could usefully extend into psychological research, particularly in counselling and psychotherapy. Edith Stein’s account of empathy bridges gaps between individual psychological experience, embodied interpersonal emotionality, and our collective social moral order. Her philosophy provides ethical and practical guidance for researchers who seek to understand the meaning of what their participants experience in the flow of intersubjectivity and situated living. Researchers can thereby avoid positioning them as ‘different,’ ‘deviant,’ or ‘dysfunctional.’ Methodologies are recommended, based on Stein’s account.