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An Additional Antecedent of Empathic Concern: Valuing the Welfare of the Person in Need
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2007/08/01/
Pages: 65 - 74
Sources ID: 48531
Collection: Altruism
Visibility: Public (group default)
Abstract: (Show)
Two experiments examined the role of valuing the welfare of a person in need as an antecedent of empathic concern. Specifically, these experiments explored the relation of such valuing to a well-known antecedent--perspective taking. In Experiment 1, both perspective taking and valuing were manipulated, and each independently increased empathic concern, which, in turn, increased helping behavior. In Experiment 2, only valuing was manipulated. Manipulated valuing increased measured perspective taking and, in part as a result, increased empathic concern, which, in turn, increased helping. Valuing appears to be an important, largely overlooked, situational antecedent of feeling empathy for a person in need.