Considering economic stress and empathic traits in predicting prosocial behaviors among U.S. Latino adolescents

Abstract

The goal of the current study was to examine two competing models focusing on the roles of empathy-related traits in the relation between economic stress and prosocial behaviors. First, we examined the mediating roles of perspective taking and empathic concern in the association between economic stress and adolescents' prosocial behaviors. Second, we examined the moderating role of perspective taking in the association between economic stress and empathic concern, as well as the links between empathic concern and prosocial behaviors. Participants consisted of 307 (46.2% girls; M age 5 15.05) U.S. Latino adolescents (77.5% U.S. Mexicans) and their primary caregivers (87.9% mothers). Primary caregivers reported on family-level economic stress, and adolescents reported on their own perspective taking, empathic concern, and their tendency to engage in six forms of prosocial behaviors. Results demonstrated support for the moderating role of perspective taking on the link between economic stress and empathic concern, which in turn, was associated with multiple forms of helping behaviors. Economic stress was also directly associated with selfless and selfish helping behaviors. The discussion focuses on the multiple roles of empathic traits in understanding the links between economic stress and prosocial outcomes in U.S. Latino youth. K E Y W O R D Seconomic stress, empathic concern, Latino youth, perspective taking, prosocial behaviors

The varying roles of parents and the cognitive–emotional variables regarding the different types of adolescent prosocial behavior

“…The only variable that predicted this type of prosocial behavior was the cognitive aspect of empathy (perspective taking). These results agree with previous investigations that have not found a connection between empathic concern and anonymous prosocial tendencies, although they have found an association between them and perspective taking (Davis et al, 2017). This might occur because anonymous conducts of help in general are intended toward strangers, and it is possible that what motivated the implementation of this help is the cognitive perception of the need of others without having to share that need emotionally.…”

“…Perspective taking is the ability to put yourself in the place of the other and understand their thoughts, feelings, and mental states (Epley & Caruso, 2009), while empathic concern is to feel the same as others are feeling, and it is defined as concern for another’s welfare (Batson, 2011). Several studies have shown that both aspects of empathy (cognitive and emotional) are positively related to different types of prosocial behavior (Davis, Carlo, Streit, & Crockett, 2017). Davis et al (2017) have shown that empathic concern is positively associated with emotional sensitivity and altruistic prosocial behavior, while perspective taking is negatively associated with altruism.…”

“…Several studies have shown that both aspects of empathy (cognitive and emotional) are positively related to different types of prosocial behavior (Davis, Carlo, Streit, & Crockett, 2017). Davis et al (2017) have shown that empathic concern is positively associated with emotional sensitivity and altruistic prosocial behavior, while perspective taking is negatively associated with altruism. These results suggest that perspective taking is not enough to promote selfless helping behaviors.…”

Connecting perceived economic threat and prosocial tendencies: The explanatory role of empathic concern

“…As a result, individuals may orient to other people and, presumably, should be more aware of others' emotions to navigate their surrounding adverse socioeconomic conditions. In other words, those individuals most affected by the economic downturn may exhibit higher empathic concern for the welfare of others, in order to alleviate negative personal feelings by promoting greater attention to the suffering of others [28,79,80]. Moreover, empathic concern was related to a higher likelihood of adopting prosocial behaviors.…”

“…This affiliative response strategy is theorized to foster greater attention to the needs of others, and to result in more prosocial responses to suffering. Indeed, some studies have suggested that negative feelings deriving from social and interpersonal problems may make individuals more sensitive to the plights of others because of their increased understandings of negative events, which ultimately foster empathic concern tendencies [44][45][46]. For example, Kraus et al [41] found that individuals belonging to a lower socioeconomic status were more attentive to others' emotional states, showing greater empathic accuracy than those belonging to an upper socioeconomic status.…”