The "empathy gap" refers to a cognitive bias where individuals struggle to understand or predict their own and others' feelings and preferences when in a different emotional or physical state. This gap can occur in two main directions:
Hot-to-Cold empathy gap: When people are in an intense emotional state (the "hot" state), such as anger, excitement, or hunger, they often can't accurately predict their own or others' preferences in a calm or neutral ("cold") state. For example, when someone is very angry, they might overestimate the severity of a response they would consider appropriate, which might seem unreasonable once they have cooled down.
Cold-to-Hot empathy gap: Conversely, when people are in a calm or unemotional state (the "cold" state), they often fail to understand the intensity of their own or others' decisions or reactions when in a more emotional or distressed ("hot") state. For example, it can be hard for someone who is currently calm to understand why they previously made an impulsive purchase or decision while feeling stressed or excited.
The empathy gap has significant implications in various aspects of life, including:
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