Question

While trying to make a family member feel better after a loved one has died, your partner states, "I know how you are feeling." The family members may view this as:

a) Sympathy
b) Empathy
c) Apathy
d) Antipathy

Answer 1

The statement "I know how you are feeling" made by a partner to a grieving family member reflects an attempt to express sympathy rather than empathy, apathy, or antipathy.

Step-by-step explanation:

When someone says, "I know how you are feeling" to a family member who is grieving, they are attempting to express sympathy and support. Sympathy involves understanding what another person is feeling without necessarily having experienced it oneself. It's an acknowledgment of the other person's emotional state and a way to convey concern and caring during difficult times like dealing with the loss of a loved one. In contrast, empathy would involve actually sharing or fully understanding someone else’s emotions through shared experience or deep emotional connection. Apathy would be a lack of concern or emotion, and antipathy would mean active dislike or opposition. Therefore, saying "I know how you are feeling" with the intention to comfort implies sympathy. Research such as McMillan et al. (2006) supports the importance of coping skills for caregivers which could include developing sympathetic communication strategies. Similarly, Miklikowska et al. (2011) suggest that family dynamics and parental support contribute to the development of traits related to understanding and caring for others, which may inform sympathetic responses.