ICPS

2021 APS Virtual Convention · 2021

The Effects of Empathy on Attitudes Towards Mask Wearing

Virtual · May 2021

Posters · Social Psychology

  • Sarah Newbolds
    Benedictine College
  • Molly Muehlebach
    Benedictine College
  • J. Dean Elmore
    Benedictine College

Abstract

We tested whether an empathy induction could influence attitudes towards mask wearing. Participants watched one of three videos intended to arouse different emotional states, after which they completed a questionnaire assessing mask-wearing attitudes. Initial results indicated that the empathy induction affected positive (but not negative) attitudes towards mask wearing.

Epidemics and Public Health