Emotional Gaslighting and Affective Empathy

Sodoma K (2022)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Book Volume: 30

Pages Range: 320-338

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1080/09672559.2022.2121894

Abstract

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation that undermines a target’s confidence in their own cognitive faculties. Different forms of gaslighting can be distinguished according to whether they undermine a target’s confidence in their emotional reactions, perceptions, memory, or reasoning abilities. I focus on ‘emotional gaslighting’, which undermines a target’s confidence in their emotional reactions and corresponding evaluative judgments. While emotional gaslighting rarely occurs in isolation, it is often an important part of an overall gaslighting strategy. This is because emotions can help us to understand the evaluative aspects of our situation and thus put us in a position to protest wrongs, which is a context in which gaslighting frequently occurs. I argue that affective empathy constitutes an important antidote to emotional gaslighting. Affective empathy can lead to endorsement of a target’s emotional reaction as appropriate to their situation and agreement with the corresponding evaluative judgment. When it leads to endorsement, affective empathy can counteract the effects of emotional gaslighting because it reassures a target in their ability to make evaluative judgments based on their emotional reactions. Because of its opposing effects, affective empathy with the victim thus constitutes an important intervention to emotional gaslighting on the part of third parties.

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How to cite

APA:

Sodoma, K. (2022). Emotional Gaslighting and Affective Empathy. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 30(3), 320-338. https://doi.org/10.1080/09672559.2022.2121894

MLA:

Sodoma, Katharina. "Emotional Gaslighting and Affective Empathy." International Journal of Philosophical Studies 30.3 (2022): 320-338.

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