Selective Empathy Theory: the Bias of Affective Empathy and the Role of Social Frames.

Résumé

This paper introduces the Selective Empathy Theory, a new theoretical framework that challenges the idealized, universalist understanding of empathy in psychology and social discourse. Contrary to the prevailing notion of empathy as an automatic and morally virtuous emotional response, this theory argues that affective empathy operates selectively-shaped and constrained by the perceiver's moral frames, group identity, and socio-cultural context. Through interdisciplinary case studies spanning literature, film, political polarization, and digital discourse, the paper illustrates how empathy is not universally distributed but strategically directed toward those who align with one's values and identity. The model emphasizes that selective empathy is not a moral failure, but a structural feature of emotional cognition, with profound implications for affective politics, media influence, and public morality. This reconceptualization invites new directions for empirical research and normative reflection on how empathy functions-and malfunctions-in contemporary society. This paper complements existing empathy research, which has largely focused on individual psychological mechanisms, by proposing an integrative theoretical framework that systematically incorporates the role of broader socio-cultural contexts.