Empathy inhibits aggression in competition: the role of provocation, emotion, and gender

Nicholas Stanger, Maria Kavussanu, David McIntyre, Christopher Ring

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)
464 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Although the empathy-aggression relationship has been well documented, research has yet to establish whether emotions mediate and gender moderates this relationship in athletes, under conditions of low and high provocation. In this experiment, we assigned team-sport athletes to either a high (n = 40) or a low (n = 40) empathy group, and asked them to compete in a reaction-time task against a (fictitious) opponent, under conditions of low and high provocation. Empathy reduced aggression (i.e., intensity of electrical shock administered to the opponent) at low provocation in men, and at both low and high provocation in women. Guilt mediated the effect of empathy on aggression at low provocation in men; anger did not mediate any effects of empathy on aggression. Our findings indicate that the inhibitory effect of empathy on aggression and the mediating role of guilt are moderated by provocation and gender.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4-14
JournalJournal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Volume38
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Feb 2016

Keywords

  • anger
  • experiment
  • guilt
  • morality
  • Perspective taking

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Empathy inhibits aggression in competition: the role of provocation, emotion, and gender'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this