Empathy in computer‐mediated interactions: A conceptual framework for research and clinical practice

Empathy plays a crucial role in fostering positive social interactions and is elicited through verbal and nonverbal socioemotional cues. Computer‐mediated communication (CMC) rapidly connects individuals at a distance but can partly filter out nonverbal cues. We draw from available telehealth and emotion communication literature to elaborate a cohesive conceptual framework of online empathy, a tool the field is currently lacking. The distinctive features of online communication and their impacts on the empathic interaction are described. We also detail strategies that users can employ to facilitate feeling, conveying, and being perceived as empathic in CMC.