How Babies Develop Empathy

Empathy -- the ability to understand and emulate the emotions of other people -- is a key milestone in a child's development. Babies begin displaying empathy fairly early in infancy, and usually develop into loving, sensitive individuals by the same they reach school age. Here are a few milestones to consider in how babies develop empathy.

1. Babies begin learning empathy through imitation. Early in life, infants start to learn empathy by imitating the emotions and expressions of the people around them. A six-month-old spends much of his time watching the facial expressions of his parents and learning to imitate their speech patterns. During this stage, a child is likely to burst into tears when he hears another baby crying in a store. Before one year of age, a baby's first signs of empathy are actually reflections of other people's emotions -- not conscious awareness of the needs of others.

2. Sensitivity emerges during the second year. Between your toddler's first and second birthdays, he's likely to begin reacting sensitively to the emotions of other children. He will take notice when another person is showing signs of distress, and may try to offer comfort. When he sees someone smiling, he will smile in response -- feeling genuine joy in witnessing another person's happiness. These are the first signs of genuine empathy seen in toddlers, although more consistent compassion may not come until later.

3. Toddlers make logical connections with the emotions of others.

By ages two to three, a toddler becomes capable of relating another child's emotions to his own. He may see a child crying for ice cream and understand the connection between the desire for ice cream and the display of distress. At this point, a toddler may respond by trying to meet the apparent emotional needs of the distressed child -- often by hugging or giving a gift. Over time, the string of empathic gestures sets the foundation for friendship and interpersonal connection.

4. Preschoolers form genuine bonds. When your child reaches preschool-age at 3 to 5 years, his sense of empathy becomes more rounded and genuine. A 4-year-old can begin to understand that her friends have individual needs and emotions. For example, she might recognize that her classmate gets upset when his mom drops him off at preschool, or that a friend at the playground is sensitive to loud noises. However, it's normal for a preschooler to have difficulty empathizing with children whose needs are different from her own -- she may not understand why a playmate is upset about occurrences that she finds untroubling.

5. School-age children develop mature connections. As your child approaches kindergarten, he forms the capacity to develop a grownup-like understanding of other people's emotions. He might avoid bringing up topics that upset his friends, siblings, or parents. He expresses concern for other people's needs, even when those needs are radically different from his own. He views himself as a part of a larger family, class, or community. Over the next decade, he'll gradually become more independent, more helpful, and more capable of nurturing the needs of others.