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Empathy Gap (Hot-Cold/Positive-Negative)
Definition 1
Impact of a prior emotional state on the likelihood of selecting choice options and appears most pronounced when the difference (gap) in the pre- versus post- (choice) state is maximized.
Source: Behavioral Science Lab, 2017
Definition 2
A hot-cold empathy gap occurs when people underestimate the influence of visceral states (e.g. being angry, in pain, or hungry) on their behavior or preferences (Loewenstein, 2005). In medical decision making, for example, a hot-to-cold empathy gap may lead to undesirable treatment choices when cancer patients are asked to choose between treatment options right after being told about their diagnosis.
Source: Behavioral Economics
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