Is empathy-induced helping due to self-other merging?

Author(s): Sager, K., Garst, E., Kang, M., Rubchinsky, K., Dawson, K.

Journal/Book: J Personal Soc Psychol. 1997; 73: 750 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Amer Psychological Assoc. 495-509.

Abstract: Two experiments tested the idea that empathy-induced helping is due to self-other merging. To manipulate empathy, half of the participants in each experiment received instructions to remain objective while hearing about a young woman in need (low-empathy condition), and half received instructions to imagine her feelings (high-empathy condition). To check generality of the empathy-helping relationship, half in each empathy condition learned that the young woman was a student at their university (shared group membership), and half learned that she was a student at a rival university (unshared group membership). Self-reported empathy for and willingness to help the young woman were assessed, and 3 measures of self-other merging were taken. In each experiment, an empathy-helping relationship was found, unqualified by group membership, that could not be accounted for by any of the merging measures.

Note: Article Batson CD, Univ Kansas, Dept Psychol, Lawrence,KS 66045 USA

Keyword(s): MOTIVATION

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