Empathy, Phenomenological Reduction, and Reflexivity: Foundations of Phenomenological Research
Idun Røseth
International Journal of Qualitative Methods October 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/16094069251394942 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 2 |
| Key points | Argues that former experiences are essential preconditions for understanding others rather than obstacles, forming an adjustable horizon of possibilities that enriches perception and interpretation. Drawing on Husserl, Stein, and Merleau-Ponty, the author proposes that empathy and intersubjectivity allow direct perception of another's subjectivity through embodied dialogue, and that the phenomenological reduction can sustain openness toward others and the shared lifeworld. |
Abstract
Do our former experiences represent an obstacle to truly understanding another person? This study explores the phenomenological foundation that positions former experiences not as obstacles, but as essential preconditions for understanding the world and others. Drawing on Husserl’s theory of apperception, passive synthesis, intersubjectivity and empathy, I examine how past experiences inform both our present experiences and anticipated future, thereby enriching our perception and interpretation of others and helping us perceive exceedingly fine-grained patterns of meaning. Our past experiences do not rigidly determine our future actions but instead create a background of possibilities, like a horizon we carry with us, that can be continuously adjusted and fine-tuned as new situations arise. Husserl’s, and Stein’s theory of empathy and intersubjectivity further opens up the possibility for a direct perception of the other’s subjectivity. This is nuanced and enriched by Merleau-Ponty’s description of the intertwining or coupling of our constitutive consciousnesses, which illustrates not only how our embodied expressions convey emotions and intentions directly but also how we engage in a mutual embodied dialogue. The phenomenological reduction offers a method to ensure our openness towards others and the world, and to grasp how meanings are constituted and shared within our lifeworld.