inlevelse

Inlevelse is a cognitive and affective process in which a person imagines and emotionally engages with another’s lived experience in order to understand their thoughts, feelings, and actions. The concept is used across disciplines such as psychology, education, social work, and ethics, where understanding another person’s point of view is important for communication, care, and decision-making.

The term is connected to ideas of perspective-taking and entering another’s lifeworld. Inlevelse combines cognitive projection—considering what the other thinks or would feel in a given situation—and affective resonance, the sense of sharing or aligning with those emotions. It is often described as a more immersive or experiential form of understanding than generic sympathy, yet it remains distinct from simply mirroring another’s feelings. The emphasis is on attempting to grasp the inner experience of the other, potentially supporting more nuanced and person-centered responses.

In practice, inlevelse can be cultivated through narrative methods, reflective writing, interviews, role-playing, and case-based learning. It can enhance empathic understanding, communication, and ethical decision-making, particularly in caregiving, education, counseling, and social services. Its use requires cultural sensitivity, reflexivity, and an awareness of personal biases to avoid over-interpretation or misrepresentation of another’s experience.

Related concepts include empathy, sympathy, and perspective-taking. See also phenomenology, narrative inquiry, and patient-centered care.