Empathy as a multidimensional construct : A review of research on empathy.

Abstract

多次元的視点を用いた共感性研究の展望を試み, 「共感的関心」, 「個人的苦痛」, 「視点取得」, 「ファンタジー」の4次元について, どのような変数と関係があるかの検討をおこなった.「共感的関心」は情動性, 他者への非利己的関心, 向社会的行動と正に相関し, 「個人的苦痛」は情動性と正, 制御性と負に相関した.「視点取得」は制御性, 対人認知, 向社会的行動(視点取得教示があるとき)に正, 攻撃性と負, 「ファンタジー」は情動性と正に相関した.次元間の関係については, 「共感的関心」, 「視点取得」, 「ファンタジー」間が正の関係にある.「共感的関心」(愛他的傾向), 「個人的苦痛」(他者の苦痛に対し, 動揺など自己志向の感情反応が起こること), 「視点取得」(他者の気持ちの想像と認知), 「ファンタジー」(他者への同一化傾向)と次元の意味を推測したが, 共感性の次元については, 内容も含め, さらに検討する必要がある.共感性の起源と発達については種々の研究方法が開発されているが, 多次元的視点によるものはまだ少なく, さまざまな角度からさらに検討する余地がある. This article reviewed empirical research on empathy, with the view that it has four dimensions:empathic concern(EC), personal distress(PD), perspective taking(PT), and fantasy(FS). EC shows a positive correlation with emotionality, non-selfish concern for others, and prosocial behavior. PD shows a positive correlation with emotionality, but has a negative correlation with regulation. PT shows a positive correlation with regulation and interpersonal cognition, and prosocial behavior when a perspective-taking instruction is given, but has a negative correlation with aggression. FS shows a positive correlation with emotionality. EC, PT, and FS have positive correlations with each other. Underlying meaning was inferred for each dimension:altruistic disposition for EC;self-oriented affective response of unease to others' distress for PD;imagination and cognition of others' emotion for PT;and disposition of identifying with others for FS. Although research methods to study the origin and development of empathy have been proposed, few developmental studies have been conducted from the multidimensional perspective.