Citation

Eisenberg N, Eggum ND, Di Giunta L. Soc. Iss. Policy Rev. 2010; 4(1): 143-180.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Arizona State University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1751-2409.2010.01020.x

PMID

21221410

PMCID

PMC3017348

Abstract

Empathy-related responding, including empathy, sympathy, and personal distress, has been implicated in conceptual models and theories about prosocial behavior and altruism, aggression and antisocial behavior, and intergroup relationships. Conceptual arguments and empirical findings related to each of these topics are reviewed. In general, there is evidence that empathy and/or sympathy are important correlates of, and likely contributors to, other-oriented prosocial behavior, the inhibition of aggression and antisocial behavior, and the quality of intergroup relationships. Applied implications of these findings, including preventative studies, are discussed, as are possible future directions.

Language: en