This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human animal than human suffering or abuse. Two hundred and fifty-six undergraduates at a major northeastern university were asked to indicate their degree of empathy for a brutally beaten human adult or child versus an adult dog or puppy, as described in a fictitious news report. We hypothesized that the vulnerability of victims—determined by their age and not species—would determine participants’ levels of distress and concern for them. The main effect for age but not for species was significant. We also found more empathy for victims who are human children, puppies, and fully-grown dogs than for victims who are adult humans. Age makes a difference for empathy toward human victims, but not for dog victims. In addition, female participants were significantly more empathic toward all victims than were their male counterparts.
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Batson C. D., Polycarpou M. P., Harmon-Jones E., Imhoff H. J., Mitchener E. C., Bednar L. L., Klein T. R. & Highberger L. Empathy and attitudes: Can feeling for a member of a stigmatized group improve feelings toward the group? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1997 72 1 105 118
Lambert V. Why do people donate to dog charities when children are dying? The Telegraph 2015 Accessed 2/26/15 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/11408327/Why-do-people-donate-to-dog-charities-when-children-are-dying.html
Tang T. & Billeaud J. Petition, advocates help spare ‘Mickey,’ pit bull who mauled 4-year-old Arizona boy Huffington Post 2014 Accessed 2/26/15 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/26/pit-bull-mauls-arizona-boy_n_5036629.html
全部期间 | 过去一年 | 过去30天 | |
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This research examines whether people are more emotionally disturbed by reports of non-human animal than human suffering or abuse. Two hundred and fifty-six undergraduates at a major northeastern university were asked to indicate their degree of empathy for a brutally beaten human adult or child versus an adult dog or puppy, as described in a fictitious news report. We hypothesized that the vulnerability of victims—determined by their age and not species—would determine participants’ levels of distress and concern for them. The main effect for age but not for species was significant. We also found more empathy for victims who are human children, puppies, and fully-grown dogs than for victims who are adult humans. Age makes a difference for empathy toward human victims, but not for dog victims. In addition, female participants were significantly more empathic toward all victims than were their male counterparts.
全部期间 | 过去一年 | 过去30天 | |
---|---|---|---|
摘要浏览次数 | 12297 | 2112 | 134 |
全文浏览次数 | 735 | 57 | 12 |
PDF下载次数 | 356 | 70 | 8 |