Dr. Brené Brown defines empathy as a tool that fuels connection, famously contrasting it with sympathy, which she argues drives disconnection. Her research, often highlighted in the widely viewed RSA Short animation , identifies empathy as a vulnerable choice that requires connecting with a similar feeling within oneself to truly understand another's experience. The Four Attributes of Empathy
Based on the work of nursing scholar Theresa Wiseman, Brown outlines four core qualities required to practice empathy: Brené Brown on Empathy