Cognitive empathy >> Affective empathy

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Quick question: Is having "cognitive empathy" absolutely necessary to have "affective empathy"?

Like this: [Recognize state] >> [Emotional reaction to state];
or can be like this: [Random emotional reactions to unidentified state]

Yes, that is part of the reason autistics often appear cold, because they don't display/feel affective empathy until they realize that, or why another is upset etc.

For clarity, cognitive empathy isn't necessary to HAVE affective empathy, but it is necessary with regards to the activation of the affective empathy, if that makes sense.

I speak from experience of having autistic friends/acquaintances. My current best friend is autistic, and he's told me he feels exactly as I assumed it is.

_________________
Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

My cognitive empathy, in most cases, transitions to affective empathy.

Cognitive empathy, however, invariably comes first, to the irritation of the person who needs affective empathy NOW.

A. cognitive empathy = identify another person's feelings
B. affective empathy = respond appropriately to those identified feelings

It seems like I read that ASD people are poor at both of these types of empathy ? For example, an ASD person does not recognize social cues, and therefore, does not respond appropriately to those non-identified social cues. Thus, performing poorly on both types of empathy.

Poor affective empathy would seem to follow matter-of-factly from poor cognitive empathy ?

Presented in the book ...
Zero Degrees of Empathy: A New Theory of Human Cruelty
"By contrast, Baron-Cohen defines people with Asperger's syndrome or classic autism, which is his own field, as "'zero-positive'. Like the zero-negatives these people lack affective empathy, but in addition they score zero on "cognitive empathy" ? thinking others' thoughts".

I am currently re-reading Dr. Valerie Gaus' book, "Living Well on the Spectrum". According to the author: