AN INVESTIGATION WAS DESIGNED (1) TO ANALYZE THE EMPATHIC PROCESS IN COUNSELING, (2) TO DEVELOP MEASURES OF EMPATHIC RESPONSIVENESS, AND (3) TO DEVELOP TRAINING MATERIALS TO IMPROVE THE EMPATHIC RESPONSIVENESS OF COUNSELORS. THE TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED IN THE STUDY INVOLVED THE SPECIAL USE OF FILM AND TELEVISION AND THE SIMULATION OF A COUNSELING PROCESS AND TRAINING. A UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE STUDY WAS THE CREATION OF A "STANDARD COUNSELEE" OUT OF AN AUTHENTIC COUNSELING SITUATION DEVOID OF ANY ARTIFICIALITY OR ROLE-PLAYING. IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING EMPATHY, THE INVESTIGATORS ASKED THE COUNSELORS IN TRAINING TO PERFORM A SERIES OF TASKS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT MODELS OF EMPATHY. IMITATION AND IDENTIFICATION WERE FOUND TO PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN COUNSELOR EMPATHY THAN ATTRIBUTION, LENDING SUPPORT TO THE THEORETICAL CONCEPTS OF LIPPS, ALPORT, MURRAY, AND STEWART. THE RELATIONSHIP OF EMPATHY VARIABLES WAS NOT CLEARLY ESTABLISHED AS APPLICABLE TO COUNSELING. NEW INSTRUMENTS TO MEASURE EMPATHIC BEHAVIOR AND POTENTIAL WERE DEVELOPED. SEVEN 16 MM FILMS WERE DEVELOPED FROM VIDEOTAPES AS TRAINING EXERCISES IN COUNSELING. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY WERE PRESENTED. (JC)