Empathy-motivated helping: The moderating role of group membership

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Stefan Stürmer
  • Mark Snyder
  • Alexandra Kropp
  • Birte Siem

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 languageEnglish
JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Volume32
Issue number7
Pages (from-to)943-956
Number of pages14
ISSN0146-1672
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.07.2006
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

National Institute of Mental Health, Funding number: R01MH047673

    Research areas

  • Altruism, Empathy, Group-level perspective, Group-level similarities, Helping
  • Sociology

DOI

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