Exploring Faculty Identity Sharing: A Pathway to Empathy in Physics Faculty

Abstract: This study investigates how faculty acquire contextual information about students, examining mechanisms and motivations used when sharing their identity to facilitate empathy. Empathy is "the ability and tendency to share and understand others' internal state" (Zaki and Ochsner, 2012), and is a critical factor in both motivating faculty to enact large scale change and take immediate, smaller actions. This study explores the impact identity sharing has on obtaining contextual information that motivates empathetic action. Nineteen semi structured interviews with physics faculty explored participant identities and interactions across various contexts. Employing emergent thematic coding, we crafted four personas around faculty sharing, teaching values, and student reciprocity. Brooke, the Trust Builder, prioritizes creating an environment of trust by openly discussing their identity, aiming to foster student openness. Nour, the Identity Navigator, shares personal experiences to assist others in navigating their own identities, acknowledging the challenges of college years. Brooke and Nour had more students approaching them with personal issues, indicating a correlation between faculty identity sharing and student openness. Casey, the Cautious Sharer, expresses concerns about potential alienation or backlash, approaching personal sharing with caution. Wray, adopting a Walled Off approach, separates personal and professional life due to past negative experiences or a belief in the importance of that division. Among the faculty interviewed, 15 who were explicitly open about their identities reported that students approached them with personal issues. This study outlines mechanisms influencing when and what faculty share about themselves in different contexts. Our findings underscore the significance of fostering dialogue as the initial step in empathy development.