Effect of Different Types of Empathy on Prosocial Behavior: Gratitude as Mediator

Can Machiavellianism Not be Prosocial? Roles of Empathy and Death Anxiety

Machiavellianism has always been notorious, as it is egotistical and manipulative. This study aims to explore whether Machiavellian individuals would increase prosocial behavior to buffer death anxiety, based on Terror Management Theory. A total of 420 Chinese volunteers completed a survey regarding Machiavellianism, empathy (cognitive empathy, affective empathy), death anxiety, and prosocial behavior tendencies. The results indicated that affective empathy mediated the relationship between Machiavellianism and some types of prosocial behavior (total, altruistic, anonymous, compliant, dire and emotional), and the mediating effect was moderated by death anxiety. This finding revealed that although individuals with high levels of Machiavellianism were supposed to be callous, when suffering from death anxiety, they became more affective-empathetic, and thus more prosocial. Our study enriches the relationship between Machiavellianism and kindness.

Exploring the Nexus of Token Acts of Online Support, Compassion, and Behavioral Intentions Toward Immigrants from Ukraine and Russia

This study investigates the relationship between public token acts of online support and prosocial behavioral intentions, shedding light on the potential mediating influences that contribute to this intricate interplay. It focuses on the determinants of prosocial behavioral intentions toward three specific groups of immigrants who came to Israel after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022: asylum seekers from Ukraine, immigrant citizens repatriated from Ukraine, and immigrant citizens repatriated from Russia. The data were collected via a survey of 847 social media users in Israel. This study revealed that the higher the frequency of token acts of online support for prosocial content in social media, the higher perspective-taking and emotional concerns were reported by respondents. High emotional concern, in turn, was associated with higher prosocial behavioral intentions. Summing up, the more actively people engage with prosocial content on social media, the higher their prosocial behavioral intentions are.

Parent-daughter emotional dyssynchrony correlates with personality and psychopathology in adolescents with anorexia nervosa

PURPOSE

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a major concern in adolescents. Attachment problems contribute to its pathogenesis and maintenance. This research explores the relationship between parent-daughter emotional dyssynchrony and the psychopathology of AN daughters.

METHODS

One hundred and fourteen female adolescents with AN and their parents participated in this study. The daughters completed the youth self-report (YSR) and other self-report measures of personality, eating, and general psychopathology. The parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The YSR and CBCL ratings were compared and the difference was considered a measure of emotional dyssynchrony. Dyssynchrony scores were correlated with daughters' personality and psychopathology.

RESULTS

Mothers scored lower on 15/21 (71%), and fathers scored lower on 11/21 (52%). Mothers scored higher than fathers did in thought problems. Mothers' dyssynchrony was positively related to their daughters' harm avoidance and negatively related to their self-directedness. Both parents' dyssynchrony correlated with their daughters' eating habits and general psychopathology. Dyssynchrony in each psychopathological measure of YSR was positively correlated with specific daughters' psychopathological traits.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents' perceptions underestimate the suffering of adolescents with AN. Mothers' perception was worse than that of fathers, possibly because of greater overinvolvement. Parent-daughter dyssynchrony is largely related to daughters' psychopathology. This cross-sectional study could not confirm whether dyssynchrony contributed to the onset of AN or follows it. Interventions that promote emotional synchronization may aid in the treatment of adolescents with AN.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Scarcity mindset facilitates empathy for social pain and prosocial intention: behavioral and neural evidences

Empathy for social pain encompasses both affective and cognitive responses to others' emotional reactions following negative social encounters, facilitating an understanding of their suffering and promoting prosocial behaviors. This study examined how a scarcity mindset affects empathy for social pain and prosocial intentions at behavioral and neural levels. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to either the scarcity or abundance mindset group. They viewed images of social exclusion or neutral scenarios and subsequently rated the perceived unpleasantness of the target person and their willingness to provide comfort during a stage-game paradigm. The results showed that participants in the scarcity mindset group demonstrated greater differentiation in their ratings of unpleasantness and willingness to comfort when exposed to social exclusion images compared to neutral ones, relative to the abundance mindset group. Electrophysiological data revealed that social exclusion images elicited larger late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes in the scarcity mindset group, but not in the abundance mindset group. Additionally, within the scarcity mindset group, affective empathy trait scores moderated the relationship between LPP amplitudes and willingness to comfort ratings. These findings highlight the amplifying effects of a scarcity mindset on empathy for social pain and prosocial intentions, and emphasize the role of affective empathy traits in this dynamic process.

Intergenerational Transaction of Emotional Health in Collective Family Context: Family Functioning, Parental and Children's Gratitude, and Their Depression

Background: The current study is intended to examine how positive family functioning, collectively constructed by parents and children in the family context, may contribute to their gratitude and depression, two pivotal human emotions closely related to human health, in which the gratitude and depression of parents and children are assumed to affect each other bidirectionally and parental and children's gratitude is expected to link the relations between positive family functioning and their depression. Methods: The data for analysis came from a community sample of 310 Chinese parent-child dyads, which were measured by the Family Functioning Style Scale (FFSS), Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ), and depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) from both the parent and child participants. Results: The results indicated that positive family functioning contributed to higher parental and children's gratitude and their less depression, and parental and children's gratitude and depression affected each other positively. Furthermore, serial mediation analyses discovered the complex processes from positive family functioning to the actor's depression in parents or children through their gratitude or the links from the partner effect to the actor effect of parental and children's gratitude or from the partner effect of parental or children's gratitude to their partner effect of depression. Conclusions: Findings of the current study prove the collective effects of family functioning on the emotional development of gratitude and depression among parents and children, in which parental and children's gratitude and depression bidirectionally impact each other and lead to the actor's depression in them through the complex serial mediated effects. For this, pro-family and health-related policies and services should be provided to promote family functioning and emotional management in a home context to enhance family and emotional health among parents and children.

Perceived social support and prosocial behavior in medical students: Mediating effect of empathy and moderating role of moral identity

BACKGROUND

Prosocial behavior is essential for effective patient communication and building a positive doctor-patient relationship in medical students. Research on the factors influencing prosocial behavior in medical students is limited. This research aims to examine how perceived social support influences prosocial behavior among medical students, focusing on the mediating role of empathy and the moderating role of moral identity.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 2425 medical students from central and southern Jiangsu province. Participants were assessed using the Prosocial Behavior Scale, Interpersonal Response Index Scale, Moral Identity Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale, with data collected through via an online questionnaire. SPSS PROCESS macro model 4.1 was used to examine the mediating effect and the moderating effect.

RESULTS

Perceived social support showed a significant positive correlation with prosocial behavior among medical students. The indirect effects of perceived social support on prosocial behavior through perspective taking (βindirect = 0.11, 95% Boot CI [0.09, 0.13]) and empathic concern (βindirect = 0.08, 95% Boot CI [0.06, 0.10]) confirmed the mediating roles of these variables, accounting for 32.05% and 23.82% of the total effect, respectively. However, personal distress did not mediate this relationship (βindirect = -0.004, 95% Boot CI [-0.01, 0.005]). Moral identity significantly moderated the effect of perceived social support on perspective taking (β = 0.05, p < 0.01) and the relationship between perspective taking and prosocial behavior (β = 0.12, p < 0.001). Additionally, moral identity also moderated the relationships between perceived social support and empathic concern (β = -0.05, p < 0.01) and between empathic concern and prosocial behavior (β = 0.08, p < 0.001). While the interaction between perceived social support and moral identity predicted personal distress (β = 0.04, p < 0.05), moral identity did not moderate the relationship between personal distress and prosocial behavior (β = 0.03, p = 0.12).

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the link between perceived social support and prosocial behavior, highlighting the significant roles of perspective taking, empathic concern, and moral identity in this relationship. These findings underscore the potential of cultivating these psychological mechanisms to foster caring and prosocial behaviors among medical students, providing important references for future educational interventions and policy formulation.

Empathy incites a stable prosocial decision bias

Empathy toward suffering individuals serves as potent driver for prosocial behavior. However, it remains unclear whether prosociality induced by empathy for another person's pain persists once that person's suffering diminishes. To test this, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a binary social decision task that involved allocation of points to themselves and another person. In block one, participants completed the task after witnessing frequent painful stimulation of the other person, and in block two, after observing low frequency of painful stimulation. Drift-diffusion modeling revealed an increased initial bias toward making prosocial decisions in the first block compared with baseline that persisted in the second block. These results were replicated in an independent behavioral study. An additional control study showed that this effect may be specific to empathy as stability was not evident when prosocial decisions were driven by a social norm such as reciprocity. Increased neural activation in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was linked to empathic concern after witnessing frequent pain and to a general prosocial decision bias after witnessing rare pain. Altogether, our findings show that empathy for pain elicits a stable inclination toward making prosocial decisions even as their suffering diminishes.

Gratitude predicts prosocial tendency through psychological resilience-cross-sectional study in Arab cultures

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between gratitude and prosocial tendency and the potential mediating role of psychological resilience in this association. Six hundred and seventy-six Saudi Arabia and Egyptian students completed the Gratitude Scale, Prosocial tendency Scale and Psychological Resilience Scale. The results showed no significant differences in gratitude, prosocial tendency and psychological resilience according to culture or gender in both countries. Moreover, gratitude positively correlated with prosocial tendency and psychological resilience. Furthermore, the results revealed that psychological resilience significantly mediated the association between gratitude and prosocial tendency. We conclude that gratitude predicts prosocial tendency and psychological resilience plays a mediating role in this association among Arab societies.

Childhood trauma and factors influencing primary school teachers' reporting of child abuse: Insights from Italy

BACKGROUND

Childhood traumatic experiences can profoundly impact individuals, posing risks to the physical and psychological well-being of children and influencing their psychological development. Teachers in primary schools play a critical role in identifying and reporting suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment (CAM), which initiates child protection interventions. However, the psychological factors that influence teachers' likelihood of reporting suspected CAM cases remain largely unexplored.

AIM

This study investigates the influence of teachers' childhood traumatic experiences and psychological factors (i.e., cognitive empathy and psychological detachment) on their reporting behavior regarding child abuse and maltreatment, addressing an important social issue.

PARTICIPANTS

The study involved 1380 primary school teachers from Italy (88.3 % female; aged 21-69, Mage 46.7, DS 10.3).

RESULTS

The results reveal that teachers with a history of childhood emotional abuse tend to report a higher number of suspected child abuse and maltreatment cases. Other forms of traumatic childhood experiences were not significantly associated with teachers' reporting suspected cases of CAM. Additionally, cognitive empathy and psychological detachment emerge as significant predictors of teachers' reporting behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

This research contributes to the existing literature by providing unique insights into actual reporting behavior within an unexplored cultural context.

The effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior: a proposed mechanism for enduring antidepressant effects

Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic shown to have enduring antidepressant effects. Currently, the mechanism for its enduring effects is not well understood. Empathy and prosocial behavior may be important for understanding the therapeutic benefit of psilocybin. In this article we review the effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior. Moreover, we propose that psilocybin may induce a positive feedback loop involving empathy and prosocial behavior which helps explain the observed, enduring antidepressant effects.

The absence of one's intimate partner promotes dyadic competition through enhanced interbrain synchronization between opponents

Competition is a common occurrence in life, but the influence of intimate relationships on people's competitiveness remains unknown. Grounded in Darwin's theory of sexual selection, this study utilized EEG hyperscanning technology to investigate the influence of the presence of romantic partners and the gender of competitors on the interbrain synchronization of female individuals during competitive contexts. The research results showed that in competitive interactions, there was a significant increase in Theta and Alpha frequency band activity between females and their competitors. Interbrain synchronization was strongest when their partners were not nearby and females competed with same gender competitors. The research results indicate that intimate companionship has an impact on the early alertness and late cognitive execution mechanisms of female individuals in competition, and due to intimate relationships, females pay more attention to same-gender competitors. This study demonstrates that the presence of intimate partners can affect a female's competitive state and brain synchronization with opponents of different genders, improving the theoretical explanation of intimate relationships and competitive interactions.

The influence of physical education courses integrated with civic education on prosocial behavior among college students: the chain mediating effect of cultural confidence and self-esteem

Objective

This study sought to uncover the relationship between physical education courses integrated with civic education (PECICE) and prosocial behavior among university students. Additionally, we aimed to decipher the mediating roles of cultural confidence and self-esteem within this relationship.

Methods

Employing a questionnaire-based approach, we assessed the relationship among PECICE, cultural confidence, self-esteem, and prosocial behavior in university students. The instrument comprised four distinct scales: the Perceived Effectiveness Scale for PECICE, the Cultural Confidence Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Prosocial Behavior Scale. Our sample encompassed 293 Chinese college students, consisting of 137 men and 156 women, with an average age of 21.39 years (SD = 2.1).

Results

PECICE demonstrated significant positive associations with cultural confidence (r = 0.29, p < 0.001), self-esteem (r = 0.35, p < 0.001), and prosocial behavior (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). The influence of PECICE on prosocial behavior among university students was mediated through three channels: solely via cultural confidence (mediating effect value: 0.14), solely via self-esteem (mediating effect value: 0.22), and through the combined influence of both cultural confidence and self-esteem (mediating effect value: 0.2).

Conclusion

The intertwined mediating roles of cultural confidence and self-esteem highlight their pivotal significance in enhancing the efficacy of PECICE. These insights offer a valuable reference for both educators and policymakers striving to augment prosocial behavior in university students.

Factors influencing the complex problem-solving skills in reflective learning: results from partial least square structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis

BACKGROUND

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development emphasizes the importance of complex problem-solving (CPS) skills in the 21st century. CPS skills have been linked to academic performance, career development, and job competency training. Reflective learning, which includes journal writing, peer reflection, selfreflection, and group discussion, has been explored to improve critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The development of various thinking modes and abilities, such as algorithmic thinking, creativity, and empathic concern, all affect problem-solving skills. However, there is a lack of an overall theory to relate variables to each other, which means that different theories need to be integrated to focus on how CPS skills can be effectively trained and improved.

METHODS

Data from 136 medical students were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLSSEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). A hypothesized model examining the associations between the CPS skills and influence factors was constructed.

RESULTS

The evaluation of the structural model showed that some variables had significant influences on CPS skills, while others did not. After deleting the insignificant pathways, a structural model was built, which showed that mediating effects of empathic concern and critical thinking were observed, while personal distress only had a direct effect on CPS skills. The results of necessity showed that only cooperativity and creativity are necessary conditions for critical thinking. The fsQCA analysis provided clues for each different pathway to the result, with all consistency values being higher than 0.8, and most coverage values being between 0.240 and 0.839. The fsQCA confirmed the validity of the model and provided configurations that enhanced the CPS skills.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that reflective learning based on multi-dimensional empathy theory and 21 stcentury skills theory can improve CPS skills in medical students. These results have practical implications for learning and suggest that educators should consider incorporating reflective learning strategies that focus on empathy and 21 stcentury skills to enhance CPS skills in their curricula.

How do childhood abuse and neglect affect prosocial behavior? The mediating roles of different empathic components

Background

Childhood abuse and neglect are typically considered as two different forms of maltreatment. Previous international studies have found differential effects of abuse and neglect on prosocial behavior, but this and the mediating pathway underlying these associations have not been examined in a Chinese sample. Our study aims to examine the effects of childhood abuse and neglect on prosocial behavior in Chinese participants and test the unique mediating roles of different empathic components in these associations.

Methods

A total of 1,569 young adults (average age = 18.17 years) were recruited from a college that enrolls students from all provinces of China. Participants completed a series of questionnaires, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Prosocial Tendencies Measure. Path analysis was conducted to determine the mediational relationships.

Results

Emotional neglect had significant direct effect on prosocial behavior (β = -0.108, p < 0.001), and could also impact prosocial behavior through the mediating roles of perspective-taking and empathic concern (effect size = -0.091 and -0.097 respectively, p < 0.001). Emotional abuse affected prosocial behavior only through personal distress (effect size = -0.072, p < 0.001). Physical abuse, sexual abuse and physical neglect have little effect on prosocial behavior and empathy.

Conclusion

Childhood abuse and neglect have distinct influences on prosocial behavior. Emotional abuse and emotional neglect affect prosocial behavior through distinct pathways. This conclusion could help to establish precise interventions for improving prosocial behavior in maltreated individuals.

Just world beliefs and altruistic behaviors of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of empathy

Altruistic behavior is of great significance for individual happiness and social development. The study has focused on the influence of two factors at the individual level on college students' altruistic behavior. The self-report questionnaires of 2,272 college students on belief in a just world, empathy and altruistic behavior were investigated. The results of the study found that: 1) Just-world belief and empathy both positively predicted altruistic behavior; 2) Empathy influenced altruistic behavior through just-world belief. And from the perspective of motivation theory, it explains that individuals affirm that altruistic behavior will bring spiritual pleasure, so individuals will maintain the consistency of their own internal factors to promote altruistic behavior.This study enriches the research value of altruistic behavior at the individual level and provides an empirical basis for the cultivation of altruistic behavior at the individual level.

The relationship between gratitude and adolescents' prosocial behavior: A moderated mediation model

Introduction

The development of prosocial behavior is an important embodiment of youth socialization. Cultivating adolescents' prosocial behaviors can be beneficial to individuals form correct outlook on life and values, and has a profound impact on promoting the harmonious development of society.

Methods

This manuscript constructs a model to explain the mediating role of sense of meaning in life between gratitude and prosocial behavior and the moderating role of self-esteem in the mediating path. From the analysis of the data of 2,735 questionnaires utilizing SPSS 22.

Results

(1) Gratitude has a significant positive effect on prosocial behavior; (2) sense of meaning in life plays a mediating influence on the relationship between gratitude and prosocial behavior; and (3) self-esteem has a moderating impact on relationship between sense of meaning in life and prosocial behavior, which means that adolescents with high self-esteem experience a stronger positive effect of a sense of life's meaning on their prosocial behavior.

Discussion

These findings not only add to research on the relationship between gratitude and prosocial behavior, but also provide ideas for improving adolescent prosocial behavior. Theoretical and practical implications, along with limitations and future research directions, were discussed.

Comparing gratitude and pride: evidence from brain and behavior

Gratitude and pride are both positive emotions. Yet gratitude motivates people to help others and build up relationships, whereas pride motivates people to pursue achievements and build on self-esteem. Although these social outcomes are crucial for humans to be evolutionarily adaptive, no study so far has systematically compared gratitude and pride to understand why and how they can motivate humans differently. In this review, we compared gratitude and pride from their etymologies, cognitive prerequisites, motivational functions, and brain regions involved. By integrating the evidence from brain and behavior, we suggest that gratitude and pride share a common reward basis, yet gratitude is more related to theory of mind, while pride is more related to self-referential processing. Moreover, we proposed a cognitive neuroscientific model to explain the dynamics in gratitude and pride under a reinforcement learning framework.