Social empathy

Imagine you are in a room full of people you don't know. How do you feel? I sense the mood of the room and try to understand the dynamics.
I observe and wait for someone to notice me.
I quickly find someone who seems open and strike up a conversation with them.
I will focus on not coming across as strange.
I keep my distance in spirit, it is not an environment where I feel comfortable.

What do you notice first when someone around you remains silent during a group discussion? Their facial expression – I’m trying to figure out how they feel.
I'm considering whether to give them a chance to speak.
I don't care about it, everyone has the right to their own style.
I become uncertain and tend to fill it with speech.
I feel responsible for the atmosphere, so I react as needed.

On the street, you see a person arguing on the phone and looking agitated. What goes through your mind? I am curious about what is happening – I am trying to understand.
I will quickly pass by, I don't want to get tangled up.
I perceive that he is angry, but I don't want to disturb him.
I'm wondering if I could somehow help.
I feel tension as if it affects me personally.

During team work, someone rejects your proposal. How do you usually react? I wonder if he did it for personal reasons or because of the content.
I'll tell myself that he probably had his reason – not everyone perceives things the same way.
I'm starting to doubt whether my proposal was good enough.
I will reach out to someone else and verify the feedback.
I feel the need to defend it and explain my perspective.

When someone around you is crying but saying nothing, what will you do? I am quiet, but I stay close so he feels that he is not alone.
I will ask if I can help in any way.
I would like to help, but I don’t know how to respond.
I feel a strong need to comfort him, even if I have to be intrusive.
I don't like such situations, I avoid them.

What image comes to your mind when you hear the word "closeness"? Two people who perceive each other without words.
A hug that provides peace.
Sharing silence without tension.
Something that needs to be earned and protected.
Something that is personally complicated for me.

Imagine that someone close to you shares a failure with you. How do you react? I am trying to understand what they are going through and if they need support.
I'm looking for words that would help him feel better.
I feel the need to offer a solution or advice.
I think about how I would feel in his/her place.
I get overwhelmed with anxiety, I don't know what to say.

When someone unexpectedly explodes in anger, how do you react? I keep calm and try to understand what is behind it.
I will step back and give him space.
I feel that I need to calm the situation down, even though I am surprised.
I will think about whether I did something wrong.
I feel threatened and want to leave.

How do you perceive people who cannot recognize the moods of others? They have a different way of perceiving the world – I do not judge them.
It is a challenge for me, but I am trying to get closer to them.
Sometimes it bothers me, especially if it affects me.
I feel frustration when basic sensitivity is lacking.
I’m trying to ignore it, even though I care.

If you had to express compassion with one image, what would it be? A hand offered to a person who has fallen.
Silence by the person who needs to be listened to.
United glances that speak more than words.
A mirror in which one sees another as they truly are.
An open embrace that accepts unconditionally.