It's easy to conclude that people generally suck. Don't they, though? There's the driver who cut you off, the lady who appears out of nowhere to swipe the last free sample off the tray when you've been waiting patiently in line, the "friend" who's forgotten your birthday three years in a row. I get why we'd assume others just aren't trying.

We often talk about empathy as though it's something we can all gain more of if we just try hard enough - like muscle, or a higher score in Candy Crush. But a new study out today provides new evidence for the idea that individual empathy differences are determined, at least in part, by genetics.

There's this thing we tend to do when we hear the awful news that people we know or admire have cancer or other dire diagnoses. We transform them into courageous warriors, ready to battle and conquer the forces of the evil disease. They're suddenly heroes. Fighters. It can feel odd to them because just a bit ago, they were everyday humans, sometimes brave, sometimes scared shitless, trying to navigate the twists and turns of life like everybody else.

In trying times is more important than ever to consider the feelings of those around you. We are all in our own bubble, with our own unique perspective on the world, and it is crucial for our personal development to understand how other people experience the world.

Children are listening. Messages of hate, fear and intolerance are often propagated across different media and into communities. While parents view and listen to these ever-present messages, alongside them are their children, hearing these same messages through a lens ill-equipped to discern the implications of negative stereotypes and incorrect portrayals.

The word 'narcissist' is used so much these days that you might think we're in the midst of an epidemic. But pathological narcissism is not just about having an inflated ego -- it's a very serious psychological disorder. Here's why certain people are obsessed with themselves, and the gnawing fear that drives them.

Empathy is a terrific skill to have, but too much of it can leave you overwhelmed by others' negative emotions. Here's how to stop absorbing what others around you are feeling while still being an understanding fellow human being.