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Willard Marriott Digital Library EXPLORING THE COMMUNICATIVE DYNAMICS OF EMPATHIC LEARNING by Paul Hyde Parkin A dissertation submitted to the faculty of The University of Utah in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Communication The University of Utah December 2015 Copyright © Paul Hyde Parkin 2015 All Rights Reserved The University of Utah Graduate School STATEMENT OF DISSERTATION APPROVAL The dissertation of Paul Hyde Parkin___________ has been approved by the following supervisory committee members: Ann Darling ___________________ , Chair _04/13/2015_ Date Approved Suhi Choi ____________________ , Member _04/13/2015_ Date Approved Norm Elliott ____________________ , Member _04/13/2015_ Date Approved Patricia Henrie-Barrus , Member _04/13/2015_ Date Approved Carolyn Hollingshead , Member _04/13/2015_ Date Approved and by Kent Ono , Chair/Dean of the Department/College/School of _____________Communication_____________ and by David B Kieda, Dean of The Graduate School ii ABSTRACT With much of the focus on empathy coming from the professional contexts of psychology and the medical field, this study moves the scope of empathy research towards understanding how empathic communication is experienced in the personal lives of individuals. A constructivist’s approach to grounded theory is used to explore the way a group of students experienced and learned communicative empathy over the course of a semester. Using symbolic interaction as a theoretical lens, this research project centers on two aspects of empathy. First, using empathy journals as a means to access students’ personal experiences, it calls attention to the communicative behaviors that the students perceived as paramount to creating an empathic interaction. Second, it highlights how the students’ working models of empathy changed over the course of the semester. Drawing on message design logic, the analysis shows that at the outset of the course, the students drew on linear models of communication and a predominantly expressive design logic to conceptualize empathy. By the end of the semester, the majority of the students developed more sophisticated design logics and articulated a view of empathy that was rooted in a transactional model of communication. The limitations and implications of this research are discussed in the final chapter. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1. A PERSONAL INTRODUCTION OF EMPATHIC COMMUNICATION ................... 1 An Introduction to Empathy ........................................................................................ 5 Overview of the Research Project .............................................................................. 9 2. EMPATHIC COMMUNICATION: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................. 13 Empathy Research ..................................................................................................... 14 Empathy and Education ............................................................................................. 46 Summary..................................................................................................................... 60 3. RESEARCH METHODS: USING GROUNDED THEORY TO EXPLORE EMPATHIC COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................... 63 A Constructivist Approach to Grounded Theory ..................................................... 65 Theoretical Perspective: Symbolic Interactionism .................................................. 67 Research Design ......................................................................................................... 72 Data Collection........................................................................................................... 93 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................. 95 4. THE COMMUNICATIVE DANCE OF EMPATHY ...................................................101 Turn-Points and Nexting .........................................................................................103 Empathy Codes ........................................................................................................111 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................161 5. EXPLORATIONS OF EMPATHIC LEARNING FROM A COMMUNICATIVE STANDPOINT .....................................................................................................................163 Message Design Logic .............................................................................................165 iv Data Exploration and Analysis: Week 1 Definitions .............................................169 Data Exploration and Analysis: Week 15 Definitions ...........................................178 Transformative Reciprocal Communication ..........................................................184 Empathic Listening ..................................................................................................186 Contextualized Design Logic ..................................................................................190 Equifinality ...............................................................................................................195 Person-Centeredness ................................................................................................198 Valuing Narrowly Focused and Specific Person-Centered Concepts ..................199 Valuing the Personhood of Both Participants ........................................................206 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................211 6. CONCLUSIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS .................................213 Revisiting the Communicative Dance of Empathy ................................................214 Turning-Points and Nexting ....................................................................................216 Empathy Codes ........................................................................................................219 Final Thoughts About Research Question One ......................................................240 Redefining Empathic Communication ...................................................................243 Limitations and Recommendations ........................................................................253 The Transformative Power of Empathic Communication.....................................260 Appendices A. SYLLABUS OF THE COURSE USED FOR THIS STUDY .........................263 B. EXAMPLE OF OPEN CODING OF RESEARCH QUESTION ONE ..........269 C. EXAMPLE OF FOCUSED CODING OF RESEARCH QUESTION ONE .271 D. EXAMPLE OF AXIAL CODING OF RESEARCH QUESTION ONE .......272 E. FINAL LIST OF CODES FOR RESEARCH QUESTION ONE ...................273 F. EXAMPLE OF OPEN CODING FOR RESEARCH QUESTION TWO: WEEK 1 DEFINITIONS .........................................................................................274 G. EXAMPLE OF FOCUSED CODING FOR RESEARCH QUESTION TWO: WEEK 1 DEFINITIONS .........................................................................................276 H. FINAL LIST OF CODES FOR RESEARCH QUESTION TWO: WEEK 1 DEFINITIONS .........................................................................................................277 I. EXAMPLE OF OPEN CODING FOR RESEARCH QUESTION TWO: WEEK 15 DEFINITIONS ....................................................................................................278 v J. EXAMPLE OF FOCUSED CODING FOR RESEARCH QUESTION TWO: WEEK 15 DEFINITIONS.......................................................................................280 K. FINAL LIST OF CODES FOR RESEARCH QUESTION TWO: WEEK 15 DEFINITIONS .........................................................................................................282 L. SAMPLE OF ENTRY OF MY RESEARCH/TEACHING JOURNAL .........283 M. SAMPLE OF MY ANALYTIC MEMOS ........................................................285 REFERENCES .....................................................................................................................286 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This accomplishment is truly a team effort and I’ve been lucky enough to have the best team possible sustaining me through the journey. First and foremost, Jennifer, who has been my constant support throughout the many challenging times particularly these last few years. Your support, encouragement, and cake got me through many late nights when I wanted to throw my laptop through the window. You know how much you mean to me and rather than expressing it all here, I shall do it through interpretative dance at my graduation. I’d also like to thank my children for their understanding as it seemed like dad was always writing. I’ve probably learned more about empathy and unconditional love from you than I could have ever learned from any research project. Thank you, Robin and Clay, for your support, encouragement, and patience. We have the most incredible and uniquely positive blended family and I’m grateful to have