Empathy-motivated helping: The moderating role of group membership
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Authors
In this article, the authors present two laboratory experiments testing a group-level perspective on the role of empathy in helping. Experiment 1 tested the authors' predictions in an intercultural context of helping. Confirming their specific Empathy × Group Membership moderation hypothesis, empathy had a stronger effect on helping intentions when the helper and the target belonged to the same cultural group than when they belonged to different groups. Experiment 2 replicated these findings in a modified minimal group paradigm using laboratory-created groups. Moreover, this second experiment also provides evidence for the hypothesized psychological mechanisms underlying the empathy-(ingroup) helping relationship. Specifically, analyses in the ingroup condition confirmed that the strength of the empathy-(ingroup) helping relationship systematically varied as a function of perceived similarities among ingroup members. The general implications of these findings for empathy-motivated helping are discussed.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin |
Volume | 32 |
Issue number | 7 |
Pages (from-to) | 943-956 |
Number of pages | 14 |
ISSN | 0146-1672 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 01.07.2006 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
National Institute of Mental Health, Funding number: R01MH047673
- Altruism, Empathy, Group-level perspective, Group-level similarities, Helping
- Sociology