Investigation of Empathy as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Social Identity and Helping Behavior in Young Adults

Abstract

In this study, the effect of social identity on helping behavior and the moderator role of empathy on this effect were examined. Participants were university students who study in Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University. Social identity was manipulated by providing information about university student who was a Turkish, Syrian or Greek student. Participant’s empathy levels were measured by Basic Empathy Scale (BES). And also, helping behavior measured by the Help Text which was improved by researchers. In expressions were given to participants about a university student who needs help and then they were asked how much they would share with him if they had the amount the student needed. Findings indicated that helping behavior and empathy levels of participants were manipulated by social identity. Participants who are in Syrian student condition helped more and felt more empathy than other conditions. Also, we found that there is a moderator role of empathy on the effect of social identity on helping behavior. The results are consistent believing in same religion, social responsibility norms and Conservation of Resources Theory. There is suggested that new researchers can examine this research design in another identities and samples.