the empathy-altruism hypothesis

The empathy-altruism hypothesis suggests that when we genuinely feel empathy—understanding and sharing someone else's feelings—we are motivated to help them out of concern for their well-being, regardless of personal gain. In other words, if you truly empathize with someone experiencing hardship, you're more inclined to help purely to ease their suffering. This idea contrasts with the belief that people help others primarily for self-interested reasons, like gaining rewards or avoiding guilt. The hypothesis emphasizes that genuine empathy can lead to selfless actions motivated solely by compassion.