The Varieties of Self-Reported Empathic Tendencies 公开
Murphy, Brett (Summer 2019)
Published
Abstract
Emotionally empathic tendencies can manifest in a wide range of forms. Existing measures of such tendencies often differ widely in item content, but no individual questionnaire distinguishably measures more than one or two narrow aspects of the broader construct. This dissertation project aimed to develop new multi-dimensional emotional empathy scales that effectively measure a broader range of empathy domains.
In Study 1, I administered a comprehensive collection of more than 200 potential empathy items to an online community sample (n = 712). Using a wide range of techniques, including bifactor modeling and item response theory (IRT) methods, I constructed and preliminarily evaluated nine different scales of empathic tendencies. Based upon potential limitations revealed in analyses, I subsequently created additional items to potentially buttress the new scales.
In Study 2, I administered these new scales to another online community sample (n = 335), while also assessing a range of external variables related to antagonism, self-compassion and emotional distress, and schizotypal personality. I employed a range of analytical techniques to validate the new scales and examine their fine-grained nomological networks.
This research is situated within an extensive discussion of the history of the empathy construct and current controversies regarding its definitional core and boundaries. Among the many theoretical implications generated by these studies, three are of particular note. First, empathic contagion is not a unidimensional construct, as contagion for the positive emotions of others is strongly distinguishable from contagion for negative emotions. Second, empathic approach-avoidance tendencies, which have been neglected in many past studies, appear to be a critical research domain. Third, proto-Rogerian aspects of empathy, particularly tendencies to be supportive confidante listeners for others, should be a renewed area of interest. The new questionnaire scales generated in this project may serve as valuable tools in future research.
Table of Contents
Introductory Sections. 2
Highlights of the Intellectual History of the Empathy Construct 11
Current Conceptualizations of Empathy. 47
Current Self Report Measures and Potential Areas of Improvement 71
Employing Bifactor Modeling in Scale Creation. 86
Methodological Overview of Present Studies. 102
Addressing Concerns with M-Turk Samples. 115
Study 1: Initial Development of General and Specific Content Scales. 121
Methods. 121
Nomological Networks Results. 147
Study 1 Discussion. 153
Study 2: Refinement of Scales and Exploration of Nomological Networks. 159
Methods. 159
Nomological Networks Results. 177
General Discussion. 184
Overarching Implications for Empathy Conceptualization. 187
Measurement Advances of New Self-Report Empathy Scales. 192
Fine-Grained Associations with External Variables. 200
Limitations and Future Directions. 206
References. 210
Tables and Figures. 257
Appendix A. Empathy items administered in Study 1. 276
Appendix B. Finalized GFEC Scale and Specific Content Scales. 286
Appendix C. Test Information Function (TIF) Curves, Studies 1 and 2. 290
About this Dissertation
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