The role of empathy in reducing hate speech proliferation. Two contact-based interventions in online and off-line settings.

Abstract

Antirefugee hate speech is one of the largest obstacles to successful acculturation and well-being of people seeking asylum. Two empirical studies tested the hypothesis that empathy-inducing interventions can modify the way majority group members respond to hate speech against refugees. The first study used a prolonged and elaborated direct contact intervention, whereas the second study used a short-term, light-touch vicarious contact intervention. In both studies contact led to a significant increase in empathy. Additionally, the prolonged direct contact intervention resulted in an increase of sensitivity to antirefugee hate speech and support for hate-speech prohibition, and reduced intentions to use derogatory language in the future. The effects of the vicarious contact intervention led to an increase in sensitivity to antirefugee hate speech but did not affect intentions to prohibit or use hate speech. The analysis of indirect effects suggests that outgroup empathy plays a significant role in sensitizing people to hate speech.

Associations between witnessing and perpetrating online hate speech among adolescents: Testing moderation effects of moral disengagement and empathy.

“…Our study confirms qualitative research which showed that most racist supporters’ comments used moral disengagement strategies (Faulkner & Bliuc, 2016). In addition, our results are in line with quantitative research that found a negative relationship between empathy and the willingness to engage in online hate speech (Soral et al, in press), and that empathy was positively related to the perceived harm of offline hate speech (Cowan & Khatchadourian, 2003). Moreover, our results are aligned with research on cyberbullying perpetration that found a positive relationship between moral disengagement and cyberbullying perpetration (Marín-López et al, 2020; Meter & Bauman, 2018; Paciello et al, 2020; Romera et al, 2021; Thornberg et al, 2019; Wang et al, 2017) and a negative association between empathy and cyberbullying perpetration (Del Rey et al, 2016; Safaria & Suyono, 2020; Wright & Wachs, 2021; Zych et al, 2019).…”

“…Similar approaches have been shown to be effective in increasing empathy in antibullying programs, such as Media Heroes (Schultze-Krumbholz et al, 2016) or KiVa (Kärnä et al, 2011). Finally, contact interventions that allow interactions between ingroup and outgroup members have been shown to be effective in increasing outgroup empathy among adults and reducing adults’ willingness to perpetrate online hate speech (Soral et al, in press). Therefore, it can be assumed that empathy training by contact interventions might also be crucial in reducing adolescents’ willingness to use online hate speech.…”

“…Indeed, initial research on offline hate speech among adults showed that empathy was positively related to the perceived harm of hate speech (Cowan & Khatchadourian, 2003). More recently, Soral et al (in press) conducted a contact intervention study to understand the role of empathy in reducing adults’ willingness to use online hate speech against refugees. Their study showed that a prolonged contact intervention resulted in an increase in empathy toward refugees and a decrease in willingness to perpetrate hate speech.…”

Justification of Discrimination against People with Mental Illness in Republic of Korea

“…In general, since empathy is defined as the ability to recognize the suffering of others and help them [ 61 ], it can predict a positive response even if there is no change in stereotypes. Therefore, various contact experiences are suggested as a strategy to improve empathy [ 62 ]. Recently, a method using virtual reality has also been proposed in this regard [ 63 , 64 ].…”

Putting science to work for peace: A special issue in honor of Emile Bruneau.

“…Štambuk et al (2022) explored how intergroup apologies are interpreted and forgiveness is expressed in the aftermath of violent conflict. Finally, Soral et al (2022) investigated how empathy-inducing contact interventions change the way that majority group members respond to hate speech about marginalized group members.…”