Understanding situation-specific empathy: the role of fundamental attribution error, global empathy, compassion, and adversity
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- Title
- Understanding situation-specific empathy: the role of fundamental attribution error, global empathy, compassion, and adversity
- Creator
- Stephanie L. Day
- Supervisor
- Marina Rachitskiy.
- Date
- 2016
- Abstract
- Existing research has focused extensively on exploring empathy as a global concept (G-empathy) and its link to other factors such as fundamental attribution error (FAE), adversity, and compassion (Hooper, Erdogan, Keen, Lawton & McHugh, 2015; Lim & DeSteno, 2016). Until this point, little research has examined the experience of empathy within specific situations (SS-empathy). The current study aimed to explore the relationship between the aforementioned variables and their role in SSE during interpersonal conflicts. Specifically, it was hypothesised that adversity, compassion, and G-empathy would predict SS-empathy, but that FAE would mediate the relationship. The study had a non-experimental, cross-sectional design utilising a self-report questionnaire to collect quantitative data. 155 participants completed the study online, recruited through snowball sampling. Structural equation modelling revealed that FAE partially mediated empathy within interpersonal conflict and negatively predicted SSE. This suggested that FAE exacerbated interpersonal conflict by mitigating empathy. Analysis also indicated an absent relationship between adversity and G-empathy, compassion, FAE, and SSE, suggesting that adversity did not influence empathy within interpersonal conflict. This study lays the foundations for broader research on potential mediators that can reduce empathy within interpersonal conflict. FAE was identified as one in this study. These findings provide insight to inform the development of strategies that reduce interpersonal conflict and foster more peaceful environments. While further research surrounding SSE and FAE is desirable, such strategies may be used in mediation, conflict resolution, and development of corporate and educational training initiatives.
- Subject
- Empathy|||
- Psychology
- Extent
- 122 pages : illustrations ; 31 cm
- Format
- Publisher
- Regent's University London
- degree
- MSc Psychology
- Language
- English
- Date Issued
- 2016
- Type
- Thesis & Dissertation
- Rights Holder
- Regent's University London & Stephanie L. Day
- Item sets
- Theses or Dissertation