The Influence of Emotion and Empathy on Decisions to Help Others

Bibliographic Data

ID3340412
AuthorsWeilong Xiao (0000-0002-4836-8934, Fujian Normal University, corresponding author), Xue Lin (0000-0002-9768-4992, Fujian Normal University, corresponding author), Xinwei Li (0000-0003-0555-2624, Zhejiang Normal University), Xiaofei Xu (0000-0001-9177-9723, Zhejiang Normal University), Huanen Guo (Zhejiang Normal University), B Sun (0000-0003-4561-1393, Zhejiang Normal University, corresponding author), Huaibin Jiang (0000-0002-5704-2696, Fujian Normal University)
Year2021
Volume11
Issue2
Publication date2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/21582440211014513
OpenAlexW3161222206
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited50

Many decisions to help others are made in emotionally associated circumstances. Empathy is known to motivate prosocial behavior. However, no studies have investigated the interaction between empathy and emotion in deciding to help others. In total, 151 students scoring either high or low in empathy viewed three types of emotional clips (anger vs. sadness vs. neutrality) and completed the "Help for Another Study" task. Analysis of variance showed that participants chose to invest more time in helping others when they felt sadness than anger. Participants with high empathy chose to spend more time helping others than those with low empathy. Pearson's correlation revealed a significant positive correlation between perspective-taking, empathic concern, and willingness to invest time in assistance under anger state; perspective-taking and fantasy were significantly correlated with willingness to invest time under sadness state. The results suggest that both emotion (i.e., sadness) and empathy (i.e., high trait empathy) are vital motivators that exert impact on prosocial helping decisions

Anger · Developmental psychology · Empathic concern · Empathy · Perspective-taking · Prosocial behavior · Sadness · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology

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