TY - JOUR

T1 - Empathy-motivated helping

T2 - The moderating role of group membership

AU - Stürmer, Stefan

AU - Snyder, Mark

AU - Kropp, Alexandra

AU - Siem, Birte

N1 - National Institute of Mental Health, Funding number: R01MH047673

PY - 2006/7/1

Y1 - 2006/7/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Altruism

KW - Empathy

KW - Group-level perspective

KW - Group-level similarities

KW - Helping

KW - Sociology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33744828249&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/0109a368-92ad-3645-be1a-304c2acc9020/

U2 - 10.1177/0146167206287363

DO - 10.1177/0146167206287363

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 16738027

AN - SCOPUS:33744828249

VL - 32

SP - 943

EP - 956

JO - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

JF - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

SN - 0146-1672

IS - 7

ER -