Keep it moderate: Too much empathy clouds your understanding of people

According to a new study, people who tend to be empathic do not necessarily understand other people well at a cognitive level. Hence, social skills seem to be based on multiple abilities that are rather independent of one another.

“Successful social interaction is based on our ability to feel with others and to understand their thoughts and intentions,” said Anne Bockler, junior professor and psychologist at the University of Wurzburg in Germany.

Also, the researchers found that the neuronal networks crucial for empathy and cognitive perspective taking interact with one another in the brain.

Read: From apathy to empathy in just three simple steps