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From: Bob Quesal
Date: 22 Oct 2005
Time: 13:21:11 -0500
Remote Name: 64.6.6.4
Hi Alan: I'm not aware of any research that suggests that PWS are any more empathetic. I suppose we could look at it in a few ways: 1) PWS, having experienced stuttering, may be more likely to be empathetic to others. 2) PWS, having dealt with stuttering all their life, may be more bitter, and therefore less likely to cut others any slack whatsoever. They may actually be less empathetic as a group. 3) PWS, as a group, are like any other group of people (aside from the degree of their speech fluency) and therefore the amount of empathy in this group (PWS) would be distributed roughly as it is in the entire population. In other words, different PWS have differing degrees of empathy. 4) PWS are narrow-minded, thinking that their experience of stuttering is like the experience of everyone else, and therefore their empathy only extends to those with whom they agree, or who agree with them. (This last alternative is offered tongue-in-cheek). I hope this helps. Best wishes, Bob Q.