Heart vs Head? Whether You Empathise Or Take Another’s View Alters The Outcome

Research that has implications for everyday negotiation skills, suggests in on-going relationships with conflicting goals, perspective taking – trying to see the other side of the argument worked well, but those empathising – feeling another’s pain –  are likely to suffer for it themselves. In coalition building tasks – which model real-life networking or relational disputes – empathy pays off more than decision making. Focusing on the relevant approach to a situation helped improve people’s success.