The inclusion of alexithymia was based on the rationale that the ability for emotion perception
should preclude difficulties with processing and describing feelings. In the formulation by Taylor,
Bagby, and Parker (1997), alexithymia is assumed to involve an impaired capacity to construct
mental representations of emotions and to communicate about emotional experiences. In a similar
vein, empathy, when defined as vicarious responding to another person (Batson, 1987; Katz,
1963), should play a part in the perception of the mood of other people