Abstract
ABSTRACT Although several studies have examined outgroup empathy, the link between trait empathy and outgroup attitudes has been underinvestigated. In the present study this link was investigated among two samples of ethnic Dutch preadolescents (N = 335, Mage = 10.83 years, SD = 0.94; 53% girls; N = 326; Mage = 10.53 years, SD = 1.03; 48% girls). It examined children’s parallel empathy in relation to their ethnic attitudes, and the moderating role of perceived peer norms. Results (partly) support the hypotheses that empathy is associated with more outgroup positivity and less ingroup bias (ingroup minus outgroup attitude). The negative link between empathy and outgroup bias was stronger when peers were perceived to be more biased against the outgroup.
Highlights
Several research findings in social and developmental psychology suggest that empathy is key to positive outgroup attitudes
Fewer studies, have focused on individual differences in trait empathy, that is the general tendency to empathize with other persons, and little is known about the impact of these differences on children’s outgroup attitudes
In Dataset 1, empathy was positively related to the attitude toward Surinamese people, but unrelated to the other outgroup attitudes or the attitude toward the Dutch ingroup
Summary
Several research findings in social and developmental psychology suggest that empathy is key to positive outgroup attitudes (for reviews, see Miklikowska, 2018; Stephan & Finlay, 1999). The present study sought to replicate and complement these findings by critically examining the link between trait parallel empathy and ethnic outgroup attitudes in ethnic majority preadolescents (age 8–13 years), and by investigating the moderating role of the perceived attitudes of the classroom peer group. To this aim, two sets of survey data were analyzed that were collected among ethnic Dutch majority preadolescents in the Netherlands. Empirical research on empathy and outgroup attitudes is largely consistent with this reasoning Most of these studies have used experiments or interventions to manipulate the outgroup empathic states of adults and children via perspective taking. They found that taking an outgroup perspective can improve outgroup evaluations (e.g., Batson et al, 1997; Beelmann & Heinemann, 2014; Dovidio et al, 2004; Galinsky & Moskowitz, 2000; Vescio et al, 2003; for exception see Vorauer & Sasaki, 2009) and overpower ingroup bias in children’s intention to help (Sierksma et al, 2014)
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