Η ανάπτυξη της ενσυναίσθησης στους διδύμους

Abstract

In this article we discuss the currently unsolved issue of empathy in twins. In the first chapter we briefly describe some definitions, its differentiation from several other related concepts and representative psychological theories on empathy. In the second chapter, we give a brief description of the psychological studies on twins’ empathy. In particular, we present some findings from fetal, infant, child, adolescent and adult life. These findings derived from comparative twin - non twin studies. Some of them are clinical studies focusing on the role of heredity and environment in empathy’s development and some other are developmental studies based on a psychoanalytical approach of empathy and its approach in light of the Theory of Innate Intersubjectivity. In the Discussion section, we summarize all the above, we detect the gaps in research on twins’ empathy and we make a brief reference to the value of empathy’s development in a family context during the first months of life and in a school context later in life. Finally, we highlight the need to investigate further the wide range of the associated terms.