1. Culture shapes empathic responses to physical and social pain.
- Author
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Atkins D, Uskul AK, and Cooper NR
- Subjects
- Adult, Asia, Eastern ethnology, Female, Humans, Male, United Kingdom ethnology, White People ethnology, Young Adult, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Empathy, Pain ethnology, Pain psychology, Social Perception
- Abstract
The present research investigates the extent to which cultural background moderates empathy in response to observing someone undergoing physical or social pain. In 3 studies, we demonstrate that East Asian and White British participants differ in both affective and cognitive components of their empathic reactions in response to someone else's pain. Compared with East Asian participants, British participants report greater empathic concern and show lower empathic accuracy. More important, findings cannot be explained by an in-group advantage effect. Potential reasons for observed cultural differences are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).)
- Published
- 2016
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