关键词: 儿童, 共情, 研究方法, 测量工具

Abstract: Abstract: Empathy is an indispensable skill in our social lives, and childhood is one of the most critical periods in the development of empathy. Different from adults, children have obvious cognitive limitations, researchers should fully consider the development characteristics of the participants when measuring empathy, and select accurate and appropriate research tools. We cannot simply apply the research methods of adult empathy to measure children’s’ empathy. However, the adaptation and misuse of adult measurement tools are common. Researchers seem to simply approve the adult empathy measurement method to children, without considering the limitations of children’s cognition. Thus, the current study reviews and sorts out the main research methods and paradigms used to measure children's empathy, including questionnaires, behavioral research methods, and neuroscience research methods. Through the comparison and discussion of three kinds of research methods and techniques, this paper provides suggestions for researchers who plan to use children's empathy measurement tools in the future.

Key words:  Children, Empathy, Methodology, Measurement