The influence of empathy and controllability on prosocial behavior in children

Abstract

Weiner's attribution-emotion model explains a temporal sequence of attributionaffect-action in which causal ascriptions (controllable dimension) produce affect, and emotions which in turn produce the motor and direction for behavior. This study examined the effect of the relationship between the above mentioned formation and empathy on prosocial behavior. Sixth graders were administered the Empathy Scale questionnaire, and then were to read one of two kinds of stories where controllability was manipulated. The result suggested that a higher level of empathy in children discriminated whether a situational outcome could be attributed to controllability or uncontrollability, feeling and behaving differently depending on this causal attribution. That is, attribution due to uncontrollable factrors generated positive affect and gave rise to help. On the other hand it was found that attribution due to controllable factors maximized negative affect and promoted avoidance behavior. © 1990, The Japanese Association of Educational Psychology. All rights reserved.