Empathy During Crises: Investigating Attitudes, Tolerance, and Ingroup–Outgroup Dynamics in Response to Refugee Movements

Abstract

Objective: In times of societal crises, it is pivotal to understand and share others' feelings. Yet, the role of empathy in fostering prosocial responses during societal crises has not gained enough attention. Our study uses the onset of Russia's war on Ukraine to examine three key questions: (1) Is empathy related to attitudes toward pro-refugee policies? (2) Does empathy correlate with a higher tolerance for diverse opinions on refugee policies? (3) Is empathy linked to perceived interpersonal closeness toward social in- and outgroups, including refugees?. Methods and Results: Using observational data from online surveys conducted with a largely representative quota sample from Germany (N = 1199–1631) during the initial months of the war, we found that empathy was associated with significantly higher support of pro-refugee policies, driven primarily by empathic concern. Additionally, more empathetic individuals exhibited greater opinion diversity and showed smaller distinctions in perceived interpersonal closeness between in- and outgroups. Conclusions: These findings underscore the critical role of empathy in fostering solidarity and social cohesion during societal crises.