The role of empathy in experiencing vicarious anxiety.

Abstract

With depictions of others facing threats common in the media, the experience of vicarious anxiety may be prevalent in the general population. However, the phenomenon of vicarious anxiety-the experience of anxiety in response to observing others expressing anxiety-and the interpersonal mechanisms underlying it have not been fully investigated in prior research. In 4 studies, we investigate the role of empathy in experiencing vicarious anxiety, using film clips depicting target victims facing threats. In Studies 1 and 2, trait emotional empathy was associated with greater self-reported anxiety when observing target victims, and with perceiving greater anxiety to be experienced by the targets. Study 3 extended these findings by demonstrating that trait empathic concern-the tendency to feel concern and compassion for others-was associated with experiencing vicarious anxiety, whereas trait personal distress-the tendency to experience distress in stressful situations-was not. Study 4 manipulated state empathy to establish a causal relationship between empathy and experience of vicarious anxiety. Participants who took an empathic perspective when observing target victims, as compared to those who took an objective perspective using reappraisal-based strategies, reported experiencing greater anxiety, risk-aversion, and sleep disruption the following night. These results highlight the impact of one's social environment on experiencing anxiety, particularly for those who are highly empathic. In addition, these findings have implications for extending basic models of anxiety to incorporate interpersonal processes, understanding the role of empathy in social learning, and potential applications for therapeutic contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record

Brain and behavioral alterations in subjects with social anxiety dominated by empathic embarrassment

“…Our results provide both behavioral and brain-level support for the idea that other-oriented social anxiety is associated with enhanced affEMP and reduced cogEMP (5,12,36,37). The negative correlation of the overall network strength with the TKS scores during cogEMP supports decreased cognitive processing in embarrassing situations, likely obstructing flexible inference of others' perspectives and attention-shifting or augmenting maladaptive feelings of embarrassment.…”

The moderation of empathy in the longitudinal association between witnessing cyberbullying, depression, and anxiety

“…It is important to examine the moderation of empathy in these associations because being more empathetic might heightened bystanders' feelings toward the victim, which could impact their psychological health. In the literature, adults who are depressed or anxious often have normal or elevated levels of empathy (Hoffman et al, 2016;O'Connor et al, 2007;Shu et al, 2017;Tully et al, 2016). Less attention has focused on the association between depression, anxiety, and empathy among adolescents.…”

“…In another study on this topic, Smith (2015) found that adolescents who experienced greater empathetic distress following a conversation with a friend about a problem also reported poorer emotional well-being. It is unclear whether empathy relates to anxiety among adolescents; although few studies have been published on this topic, studies with adults reveal positive relationships between experiencing anxiety and empathy (Shu et al, 2017).…”

“…To decrease the negative effects of cyberbullying, many researchers argue about the need to teach children to be empathetic to the plight of cyberbullying victims (Schultze-Krumbholz & Scheithauer, 2013;Steffgen, König, Pfetsch, & Melzer, 2011), yet it is unknown how being more empathetic might impact the negative consequences associated with witnessing cyberbullying. While empathy reduces the risk of perpetrating cyberbullying and increases the likelihood of helping cyberbullying victims (Bastiaensens, Vandebosch, Poels, Van Cleemput, DeSmet, & De Bourdeaudhuij, 2014;Leukfeldt & Yar, 2016;Willard, 2007), empathy also is positively associated with depression and anxiety among adolescents and adult samples (Hoffman et al, 2016;Mujahidah & Listiyandini, 2017;O'Connor, Lewis, Mulherin, & Crisostomo, 2007;Shu, Hassell, Weber, Ochsner, & Mobbs, 2017;Smith, 2015;Tully, Ames, Garcia, & Donohue, 2016). However, it is unknown whether bystanders of cyberbullying experience depression and anxiety, or how empathy might play a role in these associations.…”

Empathy as a Concept from Bench to Bedside: A Translational Challenge

“…In human studies, anxiety has been shown to enhance helping behavior and empathy (101). Gottschalk and Domschke suggested oxytocin as a biomarker in anxiety spectrum disorders (102).…”