Empathy is more than simply understanding how another person feels, according to new research from QUT.
New scale measures how people share positive or negative emotions
Researchers distinguished three forms of empathy and linked them to personality traits and behaviour
People who shared others' negative emotions were less likely to report prosocial intentions.
QUT researchers have developed a short, practical scale that measures how people experience empathy, distinguishing between understanding another person's feelings and sharing either their positive or negative emotions.
The team of consumer researchers in QUT's School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations published their eight-item Valenced Arousal Empathy Scale (VAES) in Personality and Individual Differences.
First author MPhil graduate Nilani Gunasekara (picture above, right) said the scale captured three distinct dimensions of empathy and could be used in psychology, marketing and behavioural science research.
"While empathy plays an important role in relationships, workplaces and society, existing empathy measures do not always capture the full range of emotions people experience when responding to others," Ms Gunasekara said.
"To address this gap, we developed a measure that considers both positive and negative emotions, as well as the intensity of those emotions.
"We also incorporated a broader range of empathic experiences, including understanding or sharing emotions such as calmness, interest, guilt or boredom."
"Our VAES scale measures three dimensions of empathy:
Cognitive empathy: understanding what others are feeling.
Positive affective empathy: sharing others' positive emotions, such as feeling interested or relaxed.
Negative affective empathy: sharing others' negative emotions, such as feeling guilty or bored."
Associate Professor Shasha Wang (above, left) said the researchers conducted three studies (an expert panel review, and two surveys) and found that the three empathy components were linked to personality traits and helping behaviours in different ways.
"For example, cognitive empathy and positive affective empathy were associated with stronger intentions to help others.
"In contrast, people who strongly shared others' negative emotions were less likely to report prosocial behavioural intentions.
"We also found that people who are always prepared (high conscientiousness) tend to have a higher level of cognitive empathy and a lower level of negative affective empathy, while people who have a stronger faith in humanity tend to have a higher level of positive affective empathy."
Professor Wang said the VAES provided researchers and organisations with a brief and practical tool for studying empathy across a wide range of settings, including psychology, marketing, and the behavioural sciences.
"Clinical educators and trainers, studying or applying empathy in academic, clinical, and commercial settings could also benefit from using the scale.
"By distinguishing between different forms of empathy, the scale can help researchers better understand how empathy influences behaviour, wellbeing and social relationships," she said.
"The scale will help identify different empathy styles among psychotherapists and inform their training and supervision."
"VAES is also useful for future work matching therapists and clients based on compatible empathy styles, while also serving as a research instrument across disciplines."
The research team comprised Ms Gunasekara, Associate Professor Wang, Professor Brett Martin, and Associate Professor Di Wang from the School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations.
The study, Development and validation of the valenced arousal empathy scale (VAES), was published in Personality and Individual Differences.
QUT Media
Niki Widdowson
