An examination of the link between empathy and weight-based victimization

Abstract

Weight stigma is widely accepted by society and may be difficult to reduce through externally motivating factors. It is important to also investigate internally motivated factors that may be associated with the choice to engage in weight-based victimization such as dispositional empathy and its association to attitudinal weight bias. Our hypotheses were: 1) individuals with higher empathy would report engaging in less victimization; 2) this would be explained by these individuals having less attitudinal weight bias and the belief that individuals are not to blame for their weight. A regression analysis ( N = 284) revealed that empathy significantly predicted reported victimization behaviors, with higher levels of trait empathy associated with less victimization. An indirect effect analysis revealed that trait empathy had an indirect effect on victimization via “obesity” beliefs, but not attitudinal weight bias. Findings suggest that interventions designed with psychoeducation about “obesity” beliefs may aid in weight biased-behavior reduction. • Empathy was negatively associated with weight-based victimization toward others. • Empathy indirectly affected weight-based victimization via weight beliefs. • Weight bias did not explain the association between empathy and victimization.