The Science of Sensitivity: Metrics Behind Empathy and Its Absence
Warm Empathy—and Its Absence or Confusion—Can Be Measured
"In a very real sense, we have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels." - Daniel Goleman
Daniel Goleman is an American psychologist and author best known for his pioneering work in the field of emotional intelligence (EI). He gained widespread recognition for his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, which popularized the concept and highlighted its importance in various areas of life, including personal relationships, workplace dynamics, and leadership. Empathy may seem like a quiet instinct, but scientists and psychologists have spent decades trying to turn this soft signal into something we can actually track.
The question isn’t just “Are you interested?”—it’s how, when, and to what extent. Interesting tests like the Empathy Quotient (EQ) measure how people respond to emotional cues, while others, like the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, break empathy down into components like emotional concern and perspective-taking. We, the average person, can use a Simon Baron-Cohen EQ test that I found in the appendix of Jane McGregor and Tim McGregor’s book “The Empathy Trap: Understanding Antisocial Personality Disorder.” This test itself is a reliable compass in two different directions: if it is done by an individual with Asperger's or a neurotypical brain, or by an empath (a particularly low result points towards Asperger's - it allows us to conclude that it is a normal or high empath, or an empathic individual).
I still don’t understand the claim that sociopathy affects an estimated 1-4% of the population, when neither sociopaths nor most of their victims know whether their cognitive (cold) and affective (warm) empathy are balanced or not?
The real danger arises when cold empathy is high but warm empathy is low, as this combination results in what are known as "dangerous personalities." These can be adequately assessed using the tests from Joe Navarro's book, "Dangerous Personalities," which provide a clear picture of Cluster B personality disorders—what Mr. Navarro and we everyday people refer to as dangerous personalities.
What we commonly call dangerous personalities or toxic individuals actually lack warm empathy!
The way I see it: evil is not the presence of something, but rather the absence of warm empathy.
What happens if only warm empathy is lacking? A lack of warm empathy can show up in brain imaging studies as reduced activity in areas associated with emotional processing. In real life, it can feel like indifference, poor listening, or relationship tension. (Researchers are even developing workplace assessments to identify “empathy gaps” between teams and management—because these blind spots have been found to be can cost billions in lost productivity). Measuring empathy is not perfect, but the effort reveals something profound: the more we try to understand, the more we recognize!
Recognising Absence of cognitive empathy or Confusion in Empathy (e.g a person with Asperger's syndrome)
Lack of empathy or impaired empathy can manifest as emotional detachment, reduced eye contact, or an inability to relate to the experiences of others. It can include misinterpreting emotional cues or projecting feelings onto others without understanding their own. To give one example, a person with Asperger syndrome faces such challenges. While people with Asperger syndrome typically have warm empathy but have difficulty expressing it due to difficulties with social understanding, people with Cluster B personality disorder may lack warm empathy altogether, yet still be able to grasp emotions intellectually. This fundamental difference highlights the diversity of ways empathy can manifest across different neurodiverse conditions and personality disorders.
Asperger's Syndrome
Individuals with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder, often experience warm empathy. This means they can genuinely feel compassion and concern for others. However, they may struggle with recognizing or interpreting social cues and emotions, which can create challenges in social interactions.
For instance, while they may deeply care about someone’s feelings, they might find it difficult to understand those feelings in real-time. This disconnect can lead to confusion in social situations, making it hard for them to express their empathy appropriately. As a result, their intentions may be misinterpreted, even when they genuinely wish to connect.
Cluster B Personality Disorders
In contrast, individuals with Cluster B personality disorders—which include Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), Histrionic Personality Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder—often exhibit low warm empathy. This means they may struggle to connect emotionally with others, leading to difficulties in forming genuine relationships.
However, they can demonstrate cognitive (or cold) empathy, which allows them to understand others' emotions intellectually without necessarily feeling them. This ability can sometimes result in manipulative or self-serving behaviors, as they may know how to influence others' feelings without a true emotional connection. Their understanding of emotions can be used strategically, often prioritizing their own needs over the emotional well-being of others.
Daniel Goleman brought emotional intelligence to mainstream attention, arguing it can matter more than IQ in shaping success and relationships. Modern psychology has built on this by developing tools—like the Empathy Quotient and Interpersonal Reactivity Index—to assess the subtle dimensions of empathy. Tests from Simon Baron-Cohen’s research help distinguish neurotypical responses from traits found in autism spectrum conditions, while Joe Navarro’s work identifies dangerous personalities through imbalances between cold and warm empathy. People with Asperger’s syndrome often feel empathy deeply but struggle to express it due to cognitive challenges. In contrast, individuals with Cluster B disorders may lack emotional empathy entirely while understanding emotions intellectually. This combination—high cold empathy and low warm empathy—can be socially harmful and even manipulative. Brain scans now support this split, showing reduced emotional processing where warm empathy is absent. The article emphasizes that empathy is complex, measurable, and shaped by both neurology and environment. Ultimately, it proposes a striking idea: evil may not be what we do, but what we fail to feel.
Call to Action: Let’s Cultivate Empathy That Heals
Reflect honestly on how you express empathy—both intellectually and emotionally.
Take an Empathy Quotient test to learn about your emotional radar.
Recognize that warm empathy connects people—it’s not just about reading emotions, but truly caring.
Avoid labeling others quickly; learn how neurodiversity affects how empathy is expressed.
Spot emotional blind spots in your relationships and leadership—then take action to bridge them.
Understand that people with Asperger’s might feel deeply but struggle to signal it.
Beware of manipulative empathy—when emotions are understood but not felt.
Use books like Dangerous Personalities as tools for awareness, not judgment.
Remember: measuring empathy isn't about being “right”—it’s about being real.
If empathy is a muscle, stretch it today—listen harder, care deeper, connect gently.
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Thank you for joining me on this journey!
Martamaria 🚀🌟