EdwinÂ
Losing the tread of what we are working on.
See you at Empathy Summit
Set up definition workshop -
Presentation..Â
Wholistic Model
Self Empathy
Basic Empathy
Imaginative Empathy
Mutual Empathy
Empathic Action
Wrap-up
Wrap-up
then empathy circle
Then discussion
Jodie
Empathy Circle Study
https://otter.ai/u/91suIteUjcrcvLpLildorK4WbmU?view=summary
Jodie Jenson and Edwin Rutsch discussed the benefits of empathy circles, noting increased self-awareness and improved family dynamics. Jodie facilitated empathy circles with her family, observing positive outcomes, especially for her young daughters. They explored adapting empathy circles for different age groups and integrating them into family routines. They also considered expanding the study to multiple sites for greater validity. Metrics discussed included self-awareness, social connection, and empathic action. They emphasized the importance of clear, actionable empathy and the potential for multi-site research to enhance the study's credibility. Jodie Jenson and Edwin Rutsch discuss the nuanced definitions of empathy and compassion, noting that empathy has historically been associated with sympathy and compassion, but they argue that these concepts should be kept distinct for clarity. Edwin avoids discussing compassion due to its multiple definitions, preferring to focus on empathy. Jodie emphasizes that empathy doesn't necessarily imply suffering and can be about basic needs rather than crisis. They acknowledge the common fallacy of projecting one's own needs onto others. Jodie plans to refine her ideas and seek feedback, while Edwin offers to review a holistic model related to their discussion.
[ ] Send a new title and abstract for Jodie's Empathy Summit presentation, focusing on her family's experience with empathy circles.
[ ] Review the "holistic empathy" model and provide feedback on the proposed addition of "mutual empathy" and "empathic action."
[ ] Reach out to Kara, the Empathy Summit moderator, to discuss her experience with using empathy circles in her family.
[ ] Explore potential collaborations with other researchers, such as Shazia and Greg, to expand the proposed research study on empathy circles to multiple sites.
[ ] Consult with mentors and experts, such as William Miller and John Ickes, to get feedback on the research study design.
[ ] Draft a detailed proposal for the research study and send it to Edwin for review.
Edwin Rutsch and Jodie Jenson discuss the benefits of empathy circles, with Jodie noting increased self-awareness and a sense of safety in the group.
Jodie shares her experience of facilitating empathy circles with her family, including her three daughters and her husband and son, highlighting the need for tailored approaches for different age groups.
Jodie describes how her young daughters initially parroted responses but eventually felt heard and important, emphasizing the importance of empathic listening.
Edwin appreciates Jodie's experience and suggests presenting her family empathy circle at a summit, which Jodie finds a good idea.
Jodie discusses the challenges of adapting empathy circles for different age groups, using her twin daughters as an example.
Jodie notes that her daughters' initial responses were rudimentary but that they felt heard and important after the empathy circle.
Edwin and Jodie discuss the importance of giving everyone space and time in the group, ensuring that quiet voices are heard.
Jodie shares her deeper appreciation for the practice and how it has benefited her family, including her husband and son.
Edwin suggests that Jodie's family empathy circle could be a compelling presentation at a summit, which Jodie finds a good idea.
Jodie considers differentiating her summit presentation from her previous one, focusing on how the empathy circle affected her family.
Edwin proposes incorporating a video of the family empathy circle into the presentation, which Jodie finds a good idea.
Jodie plans to make empathy circles a regular practice at her family dinners, ensuring that everyone has a turn to speak.
Jodie discusses how empathy circles can be incorporated into family discussions, ensuring that everyone has a turn to speak.
Edwin suggests that active listening can be a family practice, where someone can reflect back what another person said to ensure they were heard.
Jodie agrees and notes that participating in the practice gives the family a shared framework and vocabulary.
Edwin emphasizes the importance of starting empathy circles when there isn't conflict, as it helps participants access their prefrontal cortex and listen more effectively.
Jodie discusses the challenges of implementing empathy circles during family conflicts, noting that immediate responses often involve explosive reactions.
Edwin suggests that Jodie can offer empathy during conflicts, helping participants feel heard and grounded.
Jodie agrees and notes that the practice can help participants access tools they have learned, even during conflicts.
Edwin emphasizes the importance of developing empathy circles in the family, as it can spread foundational skills and practices.
Edwin and Jodie discuss the idea of conducting a training workshop on empathy circles, starting with holistic empathy and progressing through different topics.
Jodie suggests setting a deadline for the training to ensure it moves forward, while Edwin proposes starting in two weeks.
Jodie expresses concern about the timeline and suggests giving themselves more time to prepare.
Edwin and Jodie discuss the logistics of the training, including the format, duration, and potential recruitment of participants.
Jodie considers expanding her empathy circle research to multiple sites, involving researchers from different institutions.
Edwin suggests reaching out to other sites and researchers to collaborate on the study, emphasizing the importance of having trained facilitators and researchers at each site.
Jodie discusses the potential challenges of conducting multi-site research, including the need for rigorous Institutional Review Board approval and training.
Edwin and Jodie agree that expanding the study could add validity and make it more publishable, but acknowledge that it could be a slow process.
Jodie and Edwin discuss the various measures they could use to assess the effectiveness of empathy circles, including self-awareness, social connection, and empathic action.
Jodie considers using measures like democratic reciprocity, self-compassion, and self-awareness to evaluate the impact of empathy circles.
Edwin suggests incorporating physiological measures like heart rate variability and blood pressure to assess stress levels during empathy circles.
Jodie notes the importance of keeping the study simple and focused on the most relevant measures to avoid overwhelming participants.
Jodie discusses potential collaborations with researchers like Greg Defo and Shazia, who are interested in using empathy circles in their research.
Edwin suggests reaching out to other researchers and organizations that focus on empathy and compassion, such as the Tony Gates Center for Traffic Healthcare.
Jodie considers the possibility of involving healthcare workers as participants in the study to make it more relevant to the healthcare field.
Edwin and Jodie discuss the need for funding to support the study, with Jodie planning to reach out to her connections for potential funding opportunities.
Jodie plans to draft the study design and measures, incorporating feedback from Edwin and other experts in the field.
Edwin suggests seeking feedback from researchers like William Miller and John Ickes, who have extensive experience in empathy and compassion studies.
Jodie emphasizes the importance of validating her own scale for measuring empathic attitude and ensuring that the study is well-organized and focused.
Edwin and Jodie agree to meet again in two weeks to review the draft and finalize the study design, ensuring that it is comprehensive and actionable.
Jodie Jenson discusses the historical shifts in the definition of empathy, noting that it has often been confused with sympathy and compassion.
Edwin Rutsch emphasizes the importance of keeping empathy and compassion separate for clarity, as there are many definitions of compassion.
Jodie Jenson clarifies that compassion is not necessarily about suffering and can exist without assuming the other person is in crisis.
Edwin Rutsch explains his view of compassion as a spectrum of felt experience, often involving warmth and care without necessarily feeling sorry for the person.
Jodie Jenson argues that empathy can exist without assuming the other person is suffering, and that assuming suffering is a common fallacy in discussions about empathy and compassion.
Edwin Rutsch agrees, noting that people often project their own needs and experiences onto others, especially when comparing developed and developing countries.
Jodie Jenson points out that people often assume others need what they have, such as air conditioning, without considering if those needs are actually felt by the other person.
Edwin Rutsch acknowledges that this projection is a common issue, leading to circular discussions about empathy and compassion.
Jodie Jenson suggests moving forward with the plan and working out the details, promising to send it to her mentor for feedback.
Edwin Rutsch offers to review the holistic model mentioned in the plan and provides his support.
Jodie Jenson expresses interest in the holistic model, having perused the headings and finding it appealing.
The meeting concludes with Jodie Jenson and Edwin Rutsch agreeing to meet again in two weeks and wishing each other well.
zoom - Meeting assets for Edwin Rutsch's Personal Meeting Room are ready!
Meeting summary
Jodie shared her positive experience with empathy circles and discussed adapting the practice for different age groups, including potential presentation at an upcoming summit. Jodie and Edwin explored the benefits of empathy circles in families and discussed a new concept called "mutual empathy" as part of a holistic framework, agreeing to develop a training program and study design. They discussed various research methodologies, including multi-site studies and physiological measurements, while Jodie planned to draft a proposal for studying hierarchical dynamics and empathy circles with expert feedback and funding exploration.
Jodie: Send a new title and abstract for presentation about family empathy circles
Jodie: Take copious notes of all changes observed in family for potential case study
Jodie: Look up Kara Jean Wilson's presentation on YouTube about empathy circles in family
Jodie: Reach out to Kara Jean Wilson to discuss family empathy circles
Jodie: Review the holistic empathy model modification and provide feedback
Jodie: Whiteboard and draft the complete research study design
Jodie: Send draft of research study to Edwin by next Tuesday
Jodie: Ask Greg Depot about funding options for empathy research
Jodie: Talk to Greg Depot this week about potential collaboration on multi-site study
Jodie: Reach out to Shazia about potential collaboration on multi-site study
Jodie: Consult with mentor about multi-site study implications for dissertation
Jodie: Consider taking a health psychology class before conducting physiological measurements
Jodie: Validate own empathic attitude scale before using in main study
Edwin: Reach out to potential research sites to gauge interest in participating in study
Edwin: Provide links and contacts for potential collaborators
Jodie shared her positive experience with empathy circles, noting how they helped her gain self-awareness and fostered a sense of safety and peace within the group. She discussed adapting the practice for different age groups, including holding separate circles with her children to tailor the approach. Jodie also considered presenting her family's experience with empathy circles at an upcoming summit, which Edwin encouraged, suggesting she send a new title and abstract. They explored the potential of incorporating empathy circle principles into family discussions and everyday interactions, emphasizing the value of active listening and shared vocabulary.
Jodie and Edwin discussed the benefits of empathy circles in families, with Jodie sharing her experience of implementing them and seeing positive results. They agreed that teaching these skills early on could prevent many adult conflicts. Edwin introduced a new concept called "mutual empathy" and "empathic action" as part of a holistic empathy framework, which Jodie praised for its clarity and effectiveness. They also discussed the possibility of creating a training workshop based on this framework.
Edwin proposed a training program on self-empathy and empathy circles, involving a presentation, group discussion, and recorded sessions. Jodie suggested setting a deadline for the training and proposed a smaller group size for easier recruitment. They discussed the importance of consolidating empathy research into a manageable model for training purposes. Jodie mentioned completing her thesis and working on a mindfulness meditation project at Harvard, and they agreed to brainstorm study ideas for her next project.
Jodie and Edwin discussed the design of a study comparing an empathy circle group with a controlled group, focusing on three phases: pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention. They considered various measures to assess changes in social connection, self-connection, reciprocity, empathy, self-awareness, and self-love. Jodie emphasized the need to balance simplicity with comprehensive measurement, while Edwin suggested using the Carkhuff Truax scale to evaluate conversational skills. They agreed to further explore potential measures and their applicability to their study.
Jodie and Edwin discussed a study design for empathy circles, focusing on measuring participants' empathic responding and physiological responses. They considered using heart rate variability monitors and the Big Five Personality Inventory to assess participants' traits. Jodie proposed involving two additional researchers, Greg and Shazia, to conduct the study at multiple sites for greater validity. They agreed to further develop the study plan before approaching potential collaborators.
Jodie and Edwin discussed the possibility of expanding an empathy study to multiple sites, with Jodie expressing interest in collaborating with a multi-site empathy research network. They explored the benefits of multi-site studies for research validity and discussed the challenges and timeline involved in setting up such a project. Jodie noted that while a multi-site study could enhance the validity of her findings, it might not be feasible for her PhD dissertation, given the time and resources required. They agreed to revisit the idea of expansion in the future.
Jodie and Edwin discussed the design of an experiment to measure stress levels and communication effectiveness in two groups, one receiving Empathy Circle training and the other a control group. They agreed to use physiological monitors to measure heart rate, blood oxygen, and blood pressure every 5 minutes alongside self-report ratings, ensuring identical procedures except for the training. They decided to use a standardized training video for the Empathy Circle group and a placebo video for the control group, with measurements taken before and after the video to avoid influencing results. They also considered using AI tools to analyze speaking time and word usage in the conversations.
Jodie and Edwin discussed research ideas around hierarchical dynamics and empathy circles, with Jodie proposing to study self-defined opinion leaders in group settings. They agreed to focus on measuring key variables without overwhelming participants with too many questionnaires, as previous studies had found this approach detrimental to recruitment and participation. Jodie planned to draft a proposal by next Tuesday and would seek feedback from experts like William Miller and Daryl Cameron, while also exploring funding opportunities through academic and healthcare-focused organizations.