High Scorers

Sympathetic people are moved by the suffering and well-being of others. They respond to emotional pleas and are able to think with their hearts, seeing the human side of problems.

Low Scorers

Low scorers would consider themselves to be realists who are less moved by pity or appeals to emotion.

Related Traits

Sympathy is often confused with Altruism. The difference is that Altruism is Sympathy in action. While sympathetic people feel the suffering of others, altruistic people go a step further and take action to improve the situation.

Sympathy is a precondition to altruism. Altruistic people are almost always sympathetic, but sympathetic people are not necessarily altruistic.