title: Empathy and social-emotional learning: pitfalls and touchstones for school-based programs.
abstract: This chapter identifies three common pitfalls in the use of the concept of empathy in formal social-emotional learning interventions: (1) not distinguishing between affective and cognitive empathy ("equivocation"); (2) overestimating the role of the imagination in empathizing ("Piaget's fallacy"); and (3) not accommodating the developmental and psychological independence of affective and cognitive empathizing ("the fallacy of the Golden Rule"). Using case studies of existing programs, the chapter offers guidance on how to avoid these errors in program design.
authors.affiliation: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Montreal. bruce.maxwell@umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DesRoches
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services; D012919:Social Behavior