Pre-Empathy (Infancy: 0-2 years)
- Basic Emotional Responses: Infants show basic emotional reactions, such as crying when they hear another baby cry, indicating a rudimentary form of empathy.
- Emotional Contagion: They can sense and react to the emotions of caregivers and other infants but may not understand these emotions.
Emerging Empathy (Toddlers: 2-3 years)
- Recognition of Emotions: Children begin to recognise emotions in others, showing concern when someone is upset.
- Parallel Play: While playing alongside peers, they may start to mimic emotional expressions or behaviours.
Basic Empathy (Preschool: 3-5 years)
- Concern for Others: Children may offer comfort to someone in distress or share toys.
- Understanding of Feelings: They start to verbalise emotions, using words like “sad” or “happy,” and can relate these feelings to themselves and others.
Developing Perspective-Taking (Early Childhood: 5-7 years)
- Role-Playing and Imaginative Play: Engaging in role-play helps them understand different perspectives and emotions.
- Increased Social Interaction: Through playdates and group activities, they learn to consider others’ feelings more deeply.
Complex Empathy (Middle Childhood: 7-12 years)
- Greater Emotional Understanding: Children can understand complex emotions, such as mixed feelings and motivations behind others’ actions.
- Moral Development: They begin to grasp the concept of fairness and justice, relating it to empathy in social situations.
Advanced Empathy (Adolescence: 12+ years)
- Abstract Thinking: Teenagers can understand empathy on a more abstract level, considering societal issues and the feelings of others beyond their immediate environment.
- Empathy in Relationships: They develop deeper emotional connections with peers and may engage in advocacy for others’ rights and well-being.
