Only empathy-related traits, not being mimicked or endorphin release, influence social closeness and prosocial behavior.

ABSTRACT: Seminal studies suggest that being mimicked increases experienced social closeness and prosocial behavior to a mimicking confederate (i.e., interaction partner). Here we reexamine these results by considering the role of empathy-related traits, an indirect proxy for endorphin uptake, and their combined effects as an explanation for these results. 180 female participants were mimicked or anti-mimicked in an interaction with a confederate. The effects of being mimicked versus anti-mimicked in relation to empathy-related traits and endorphin release (assessed indirectly via pain tolerance) on experienced closeness and prosocial behavior were assessed using Bayesian analyses. Our results suggest that high individual empathy-related traits increase social closeness to the anti-mimicking and mim

SUBMITTER: Rauchbauer B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10008555 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature