EMPATHY PROJECT
TLC is excited to share our new project on empathy and its implications for positive intergroup relations. With funding from the Templeton Religion Trust and in collaboration with researchers at Duke University, we will be hosting a number of virtual and in-person events to support research on the topic. Learn more about each of these pieces below and join our efforts to build an interdisciplinary network of empathy researchers!
THE AIMS
The Love Consortium’s mission is to accelerate scientific understanding of love and social connection. We believe members of our scientific community have much to add to the theoretical and methodological conversation on empathy. In turn, this work can provide a solid foundation toward rigorous research and deeper understanding of how people can foster harmonious relationships across perceived divides.
Through this initiative, The Love Consortium seeks to:
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Develop a shared understanding of the current state of empathy research among researchers engaged in its study across multiple disciplines
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Generate enthusiasm and activate a network of researchers to advance the science of empathy by identifying opportunities for future research, with a particular focus on knowledge gaps that funding agencies may be eager to support.
Ultimately, our work on this project aspires to create the connections and conditions for future research and funding in this domain.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
2025-2026
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Facilitating small group discussions among empathy scholars who take different theoretical and methodological perspectives
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Outreach and network-building
2026-2027
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Facilitating in-person connection among empathy scholars and discussion of new evidence at a day-long international meeting
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Helping disseminate results of a comprehensive scoping review on empathy and intergroup relations
EVENTS
TLC will be hosting a number of empathy-focused events. Our next in-person event, “Empathy: Approaches and Implications for a Divided World,” will take place in Barcelona, Spain on May 28, 2026, in partnership with the Association for Psychological Science. Click here for details. Registration will open soon!
Learn more about our past empathy-focused events – visit TLC’s Past Events Archive.
Empathy as an Interpersonal Process Virtual Symposium
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
We’re building a collaborative, interdisciplinary community, and there are many ways to take part. Whether you’re new to the scientific study of empathy or deeply immersed in the field, your ideas, questions, and expertise can help shape the direction of this project. By joining us, you’ll be connected to a network of scholars exploring fresh insights, discovering new opportunities for collaboration, and advancing a shared understanding of empathy’s role in positive intergroup relations.
As this work unfolds, we invite you to:
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Sign up for updates through our listserv
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Attend upcoming events
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Share your perspective on empathy
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Help spread the word to colleagues and collaborators
We hope you’ll add your voice to this growing effort and help us move the science of empathy forward—together.
Learn more about the Templeton Religion Trust and our collaborators at Duke University!
Dr. Kunalan Manokara