Examining the relationship between low empathy and self‐reported offending

Abstract

Purpose. This paper reports the results of a study comparing measures of cognitive and affective empathy to self‐reported offending in a group of adolescents. Methods. Data on self‐reported offending and empathy were collected from 720 UK adolescents (376 males, 344 females) in Year 10 (mean age = 14.8) using anonymous questionnaires administered in a classroom setting. The prevalence of self‐reported offending was found to be consistent with results of a national level study that employed a similar methodology. The empathy scale, which was developed and validated using this sample, assessed levels of cognitive and affective empathy. Results. Males who had committed any offence had lower empathy (especially affective) than those who had not. Females who had committed any offence did not have low empathy compared to those who had not. Both males and females who had committed violence had lower empathy than males and females who had not. High‐rate male offenders had lower empathy (especially affective) than low‐rate male offenders, and high‐rate female offenders had lower empathy (especially affective) than low‐rate female offenders. For males (but not for females), the relationship between low affective empathy and violence was accounted for by the relationship between low affective empathy and a high rate of offending. Conclusions. More research comparing the empathy of males and females with their self‐reports of offending is needed, especially in prospective longitudinal studies, so that the time ordering of the effects can be established. Also, more research is needed to investigate whether the relationship between low empathy and self‐reported offending holds independent of other factors previously found to be associated with offending (e.g. low intelligence, low socio‐economic status).

Testosterone, Cortisol and Empathy: Evidence for the Dual-Hormone Hypothesis

“…For example, social aggression, a prominent feature of psychopathy, is more common in high testosterone-low cortisol individuals, rather than in all high-testosterone individuals indiscriminately (Terburg et al 2009). The results of our study suggest that lower empathy in high-testosterone/low-cortisol individuals may be a factor that contributes to the expression of their assertive or aggressive tendencies (Miller and Eisenberg 1988;Jolliffe and Farrington 2004;Jolliffe and Farrington 2007).…”

Empathy and Bullying: Exploring the Influence of Callous-Unemotional Traits

“…Consistent with this separation of the affiliative and cognitive facets of empathy, bullies and other antisocial individuals are often found to be deficient in affective empathy [8,18,19,20]. Unsurprisingly, affective deficits are also found in people who fail to show remorse or concern for other people and their values, such as is shown with people with callous-unemotional traits [see 24].…”

“…It has been suggested that empathic responsiveness inhibits aggressive behaviour because an empathic person is able to share in the emotions of distress of the victim [7]. Empathy deficits also characterize children who are violent and antisocial [8,18,19,20], but each of these studies highlights the need to measure specific types of empathy.…”

Group Climate and Empathy in a Sample of Incarcerated Boys

“…Results were stronger for cognitive empathy (understanding of another's emotions) than for affective empathy (experience of another's emotions), although the relation between affective empathy and delinquency remains equivocal (Jolliffe & Farrington, 2007). This finding is of major importance, because empathy is thought to be a motivational base for moral development (Eisenberg & Eggum, 2009).…”