An additional antecedent of empathic concern: Valuing the welfare of the person in need.

Abstract

Two experiments examined the role of valuing the welfare of a person in need as an antecedent of empathic concern. Specifically, these experiments explored the relation of such valuing to a well-known antecedent--perspective taking. In Experiment 1, both perspective taking and valuing were manipulated, and each independently increased empathic concern, which, in turn, increased helping behavior. In Experiment 2, only valuing was manipulated. Manipulated valuing increased measured perspective taking and, in part as a result, increased empathic concern, which, in turn, increased helping. Valuing appears to be an important, largely overlooked, situational antecedent of feeling empathy for a person in need.

Playing prosocial video games increases empathy and decreases schadenfreude.

“…Likewise, it is conceivable that the increased accessibility of prosocial thoughts accounts for the effects of playing a prosocial video game on empathy and schadenfreude in that it affects how the befallen misfortune is interpreted. For instance, Batson and colleagues (Batson, Eklund, Chermok, Hoyt, & Ortiz, 2007) suggested that perceived need, imagining the other's perspective, and valuing the other's welfare are antecedents of empathy. With regard to schadenfreude, research has shown that perceivers are more likely to experience schadenfreude if the misfortune is perceived as deserved (Feather & Sherman, 2002), if the misfortune is befalling an envied person (Smith, Turner, Garonzik, Leach, Urch-Druskat, & Weston, 1996), or if the person befalling the misfortune is disliked (Hareli & Weiner, 2002).…”

Efeitos da atribuição de causalidade e custo pessoal sobre a intenção de ajuda

“…Nesse modelo, há evidências de que os observadores da pessoa que necessita de ajuda vivenciam diferentes tipos de emoções, a depender da situação presenciada (i.e., emergência severa ou situações de menor intensidade). Neste contexto, a hipótese de empatia-altruísmo já foi testada diversas vezes em diferentes situações (Batson, Eklund, Chermok, Hoyt, & Ortiz, 2007;Dovidio, Allen, & Schroeder, 1990 Weiner (1980). O mecanismo de atribuição causal do comportamento pode ser definido com um processo de atribuições de sentido e significado ao comportamento de outros indivíduos com quem interagimos no meio social (Dela-Coleta & Dela-Coleta, 2006;Hilton, 2007).…”

A Theory of Collective Empathy in Corporate Philanthropy Decisions

“…Empathy is an otheroriented emotional response elicited by and congruent with the perceived welfare of a person in need, forming a potent source of motivation to help relieve the empathy-inducing need (Batson, Eklund, Chermok, Hoyt, & Ortiz, 2007;Kanov, Maitlis, Worline, Dutton, Frost, & Lilius, 2004). The other-directed reparative action tendencies associated with empathy stem from appraisals of how others are affected by their plight (Gault & Sabini, 2000;Oveis, Horberg, & Keltner, 2010).…”