The Relationship Between Empathic Disequilibrium and the Big Five Personality Traits

Abstract

Research on the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and empathy lacks consensus, with no prior studies examining how these traits relate to empathy discrepancies, such as imbalances between cognitive and affective empathy. This study investigated associations between Big Five traits, cognitive empathy, affective empathy, and empathic disequilibrium. A total of 507 participants (mean age 42 years), recruited via social media and public flyers, completed the BFI-44 personality inventory, the Empathy Quotient (EQ), and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Neuroticism was associated with greater affective than cognitive empathy, Openness with greater cognitive than affective empathy, and Agreeableness with equilibrium, high cognitive and affective empathy. Results were mixed for Extraversion and Conscientiousness. Findings suggest that individuals high in Neuroticism may struggle with cognitive empathy, potentially due to difficulties in emotion recognition and perspective-taking, exacerbating their social worries and self- consciousness. Meanwhile, individuals high in Openness may prioritize understanding others’ emotions through perspective-taking, with relatively less emotional involvement. These results highlight nuanced links between personality and empathy.