The impact of perspective taking on the relationship between narcissism and affective empathy

Affective neuroscience;Empathy;Personality;Narcissism

Zimmerman, CaileighLishner, David ;

University of Wisconsin

关键词: Affective neuroscience;    Empathy;    Personality;    Narcissism;   

Others  :  https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/76938/ZimmermanCaileigh.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: University of Wisconsin

【 摘 要 】

The current study aimed to conceptually replicate a study conducted by Hepper,Hart, and Sedikides (2014) that examined the impact of a perspective taking manipulationon the relationship between narcissism and affective empathy. Currently, the nature of therelationship between narcissism and affective empathy is unclear due to mixed findingsin the literature. Thus, two competing hypotheses were tested: (1) the affective empathymalleability hypothesis in which there is a negative relationship between narcissism andaffective empathy, but this relationship is greatly reduced or ceases to exist whenparticipants engage in perspective taking, and (2) the affective empathy rigidityhypothesis in which there is a negative relationship between narcissism and affectiveempathy, and this relationship persists regardless of a perspective taking manipulation.To test these hypotheses, participants were presented with a story about an ostensibleperson in distress, and were randomly assigned to one of two perspective-takingconditions. Self-reported experiences of state and dispositional empathic concern andpersonal distress were acquired, and narcissism was measured using two differentnarcissism inventories. Results indicated partial support for both hypotheses forgrandiose narcissism and personal distress, but indicated no support for either hypothesisfor vulnerable narcissism and empathic concern.