ST4 - Hot-Cold Empathy Gaps

Question 1

What are Hot states?

Answer 1

an emotional, aroused, or impulsive state. When in a hot state, individuals may experience strong emotions such as anger, hunger, pain, passion, or temptation. Decisions made during hot states can often be impulsive and might not align with one’s long-term interests or previously set goals.

Question 2

What are Cold states?

Answer 2

This is a calm, rational, and non-emotional state. When people are in a cold state, they are better able to plan and think about long-term consequences. However, they might also underestimate the influence of emotions and impulses

Question 3

What is the hot-to-cold empathy gap?

Answer 3

When individuals are in a “hot” emotional state (e.g., when they’re angry, hungry, or in pain), they may have difficulty understanding or predicting how they would think, feel, or act when in a “cold” state.

Question 4

What is an example of a hot-to-cold empathy gap?

Answer 4

someone who is very angry might struggle to imagine how they could ever forgive a person who wronged them, but once they calm down (entering a cold state), they might view the situation more rationally and be more forgiving.

Question 5

What is the cold-to-hot empathy gap?

Answer 5

when individuals are in a “cold” state (e.g., calm and rational), they often underestimate the influence of “hot” states on their behavior or preferences

Question 6

What is an example of a cold-to-hot empathy gap?

Answer 6

committing to a strict diet while they’re full (a cold state regarding hunger), underestimating the temptation they’ll face when they’re actually hungry (a hot state).

Question 7

What is a prospective gap?

Answer 7

people try to predict their own future behaviour in an affective state different from the one they are currently in

Question 8

What is a retrospective empathy gap?

Answer 8

Difficulty people have in accurately recalling or understanding their past feelings, preferences, or behaviors when they were in a different emotional or arousal state than their current one.

Question 9

What is an interpersonal empathy gap?

Answer 9

Difficulty when one predicts the behaviour of another person who is in a different affective state than oneself

Question 10

What is an example of an interpersonal empathy gap?

Answer 10

physicians who medicate for pain are generally in a cold, pain-free state, treating patients who are in a hot state of pain