ICPS

2021 APS Virtual Convention · 2021

Empathy and Anti-Racism: Perspective-Taking Influences Compassion and, in Turn, Anti-Racist Beliefs

Virtual · May 2021

Posters · Social Psychology

  • Andres Martinez
    Sonoma State University

Abstract

Can empathy increase anti-racism? How might this happen, given empathy’s multidimensional nature (Davis, 1983; Smith, 1759; Zaki, 2020)? We develop a conceptual model whereby perspective-taking (cognitive empathy) influences compassion (emotional empathy) and thereby promotes anti-racist beliefs. Analysis of a cross-sectional dataset (N = 311) provides evidence for this conceptualization.

Racism and Discrimination