I supposedly have a lack of empathy and is it a big deal?

Question

did a empathy quotient and got 5
0 - 32 = low (most people with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism score about 20)
33 - 52 = average (most women score about 47 and most men score about 42)
53 - 63 is above average
64 - 80 is very high
80 is maximum

http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/EmpathyQuotient/EmpathyQuotient.aspx

Answer 1

Even though this quiz is called the empathy quotient, most of the questions don't have anything to do with empathy. I got a 17, even though I do feel empathy, sometimes very strongly (and I do have Asperger's, incidentally). Many of the questions actually involved social abilities and social intuition, which is related to empathy but not the same thing. And some of the questions seemed to have very little connection with empathy whatsoever. Like, what does being nervous about riding on a roller coaster have to do with empathy? As is the case with most online tests, you shouldn't take your results too seriously.



Even if you do, in fact, have below average empathy, it's not that big a deal so long as you treat people with respect and decency.

Answer 2

I don't know you but a score of 5 would mean that you'd be in someone's mental institution or a maximum security prison with a bite guard on like Hannibal Lecter.



Also the fact that you cared enough to take an empathy quotient test and to ask here on yahoo answers seems to mean that you care at a higher level than the test said.



Please rid of ideas of being a knuckle dragging, crazed weasel guy because of a test. Lol

Answer 3

almost no Internet quiz is accurate, and this is no exception... i mean look at this question:

18. When I was a child, I enjoyed cutting up worms to see what would happen.

i don't think i've ever met a child who doesn't enjoy doing that, but in this context it makes them seem very un-empathic (that's a word).

and for this question:

7. I try to solve my own problems rather than discussing them with others.

i would answer Definitely Agree, but i know i can empathize with people- i am just a very private person and i don't like to burden people with, or let them know my problems.



Don't worry about the quiz- you can tell if have a lack of empathy and the fact that you bothered to ask this question proves that you're worried about it- if you weren't an empathic person, you wouldn't have worried about it.