A lack of willingness to listen and talk to each other and see things from someone else’s point of view is causing an “Empathy Gap”, particularly among young adults (16-24 year olds) according to new Coca-Cola research.
We are living in a time where it is easier to compliment and be kind online than it is face to face. In fact, almost two-thirds of young adults in Europe feel that we can find greater happiness as a society if we behave more empathetically towards each other. According to the research, 63 percent of all Europeans surveyed said that listening to and understanding others can lead to a happier society.
So, where do we see our most empathetic selves? Social media allows positive engagements at the click of a button, but how do we encourage this behaviour in our day to day for that all-important human connection?
To test this hypothesis Coca-Cola partnered with three Irish personalities; Fashion & Lifestyle influencer Niamh Cullen, Radio & TV host Stephen Byrne and Travel Blogger Francesca McKee to track their online engagements for one week. Every like, comment and story reaction was captured to identify how much they interact with people online versus in their real lives.