Positive Empathy and Prosocial Behavior: A Neglected Link

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

Empathy facilitates everyday social interactions and has often been linked in the literature to prosocial behavior. Robust evidence has been found for a positive relationship between experiencing empathy and behaving prosocially. However, empathy, and the empathy–prosocial behavior relationship in particular, has been studied mostly in combination with negative emotions. Less research has been conducted on empathy for positive emotions, and the link between positive empathy and displayed prosocial behavior has not been intensively investigated so far. The purpose of the present article is thus twofold: first, we review and summarize research evidence on empathy for positive emotions, and second, we propose that people’s motivation to maintain an experienced positive affect is a viable mechanism linking positive empathy and prosocial behavior.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEmotion Review
Volume8
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)154-163
Number of pages10
ISSN1754-0739
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 04.2016

    Research areas

  • Business psychology - empathy, positive affect, positive empathy, Prosocial behaviour

DOI