Testing the impact of interpersonal regulatory fit on empathy, helping intentions, and prosocial behaviour.

ABSTRACT: Similarity with others in need regarding various attributes [e.g., social group membership] has been shown to increase individuals' empathic responses, willingness to help and prosocial behaviour. We tested whether a subtle similarity, namely of observers' and targets' self-regulatory orientation in terms of a promotion or prevention regulatory focus [i.e., interpersonal regulatory fit], would entail similar effects. Interpersonal regulatory [mis]fit was conveyed through focus-congruent or -incongruent emotional reactions which targets, facing distressing situations, expressed. We predicted that when observer participants' regulatory focus fits with targets' negative emotional reaction [i.e., promotion focus-dejection or prevention focus-agitation], they would be more likely to express emp

SUBMITTER: Bakhti R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9292111 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature