(Cassels + 2010)

The Role of Culture in Affective Empathy: Cultural and Bicultural Differences

Journal of Cognition and Culture 10 (2010) 309–326

Authors

  • Tracy G. Cassels*,

  • Sherilynn Chan,

  • Winnie Chung

  • Susan A. J. Birch

Benefits of Empathy

  • + healthy relationships

  • + overall well-being

  • "Empathy is essential for healthy relationships and overall well-being." (CASSELS + 2010)

  • + prosocial behaviour

  • "In Western cultures, high empathic concern and low personal distress have been implicated in increased prosocial behaviour (e.g., Eisenberg et al., 1989) " (CASSELS + 2010)

  • Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., Miller, P. A., Fultz, J., Mathy, R. M., Shell, R. and Reno, R. R. (1989). The relations of sympathy and personal distress to prosocial behavior: A multimethod study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 5, 55-66.

  • + emotion management

  • + peer relations

  • better emotion management and peer relations (e.g., Eisenberg and Fabes, 1998). (CASSELS + 2010)

      • Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., Shepard, S. A., Murphy, B. C., Jones, S. and Guthrie, I. K.

      • (1998a). Contemporaneous and longitudinal prediction of children’s sympathy from dispositional

      • regulation and emotionality. Developmental Psychology, 34, 910-924.

        • Eisenberg, N., Wentzel, M. and Harris, J. D. (1998b). The role of emotionality and regulation

        • in empathy-related responding. School Psychology Review 27, 506-521.