What is role-taking?
Role-taking is how we understand the experiences of others, filtered through the lens of structural role-relationships. Rather than approaching one another as unique individuals, people approach each other as occupants of interrelated social roles. Role-taking has two component parts: perspective taking and empathy. Perspective taking is how we think with one another, reading and predicting others’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Empathy is how we feel with one another, the way we are affected by others’ emotions. See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on role-taking.
The Role-Taking Project is an international effort to investigate the structural and individual components of role-taking, or taking the role of the other. Through innovative experimental design, group level variables like status, race, and gender composition can be explored, leading to potential breakthroughs in our understanding of interpersonal relationships.
