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The Effects of Competition on Empathy and Prosociality
- Date Issued:
- 2017
- Summary:
- The current research investigated the effects of competition on empathy and prosociality in two studies. Study 1 aimed to explore associations between competition and prosociality by asking participants to play a computer puzzle game that was either high or low on competitiveness, and then to complete measures of empathy, perspective taking, compassionate love and willingness to sacrifice for a romantic partner. Study 1 found a marginally significant difference across conditions for perspective taking, a marginally significant gender interaction for perspective taking, and a significant gender by condition interaction for compassionate love, in support of hypotheses that competition reduces prosocial responses in men. Study 2 addressed methodological limitations from Study 1 and examined the effect across a broader range of relationship contexts, including close friends. Results for Study 2 did not replicate the marginally significant effect for perspective taking seen in Study 1, but found a significant interaction between gender and condition predicting perspective taking. Significant findings in line with prior research emerged for dominance and commitment, indicating that higher dominance and lower commitment were associated with less empathy and prosociality. Overall, results do not consistently support the hypothesized effect of competitive situations on prosocial and empathic behavior, although results of exploratory analyses suggest potential moderated or conditional effects.
Title: | The Effects of Competition on Empathy and Prosociality. |
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Name(s): |
Gilad, Corinne, author Maniaci, Michael, Thesis advisor Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Department of Psychology |
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Type of Resource: | text | |
Genre: | Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation | |
Date Created: | 2017 | |
Date Issued: | 2017 | |
Publisher: | Florida Atlantic University | |
Place of Publication: | Boca Raton, Fla. | |
Physical Form: | application/pdf | |
Extent: | 58 p. | |
Language(s): | English | |
Summary: | The current research investigated the effects of competition on empathy and prosociality in two studies. Study 1 aimed to explore associations between competition and prosociality by asking participants to play a computer puzzle game that was either high or low on competitiveness, and then to complete measures of empathy, perspective taking, compassionate love and willingness to sacrifice for a romantic partner. Study 1 found a marginally significant difference across conditions for perspective taking, a marginally significant gender interaction for perspective taking, and a significant gender by condition interaction for compassionate love, in support of hypotheses that competition reduces prosocial responses in men. Study 2 addressed methodological limitations from Study 1 and examined the effect across a broader range of relationship contexts, including close friends. Results for Study 2 did not replicate the marginally significant effect for perspective taking seen in Study 1, but found a significant interaction between gender and condition predicting perspective taking. Significant findings in line with prior research emerged for dominance and commitment, indicating that higher dominance and lower commitment were associated with less empathy and prosociality. Overall, results do not consistently support the hypothesized effect of competitive situations on prosocial and empathic behavior, although results of exploratory analyses suggest potential moderated or conditional effects. | |
Identifier: | FA00004822 (IID) | |
Degree granted: | Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. | |
Collection: | FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection | |
Note(s): | Includes bibliography. | |
Subject(s): |
Competition--Psychological aspects. Empathy. Social values. Identity (Philosophical concept) Motivation (Psychology) |
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Held by: | Florida Atlantic University Libraries | |
Sublocation: | Digital Library | |
Links: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004822 | |
Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004822 | |
Use and Reproduction: | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder. | |
Use and Reproduction: | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | |
Host Institution: | FAU | |
Is Part of Series: | Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections. |