Understanding Oneself to Understand Others: The Role of Alexithymia and Anxiety in the Relationships Between Autistic Trait Dimensions and Empathy

Brett, Jack D; Maybery, Murray T.

doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05086-6

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Given that self-oriented processes negatively Frontiers in Psychology 09 frontiersin.org predict prosocial action (Jordan et al, 2016), it may be important to consider the relative strengths of self-and other-oriented processes when attempting to predict how individuals with SPS will behave outside the laboratory. As expected, alexithymia negatively predicted other-oriented processes related to empathy, a result that is in line with previous findings (e.g., Brett and Maybery, 2022). Although positive correlations were seen between alexithymia and two of the selforiented subscales of the IRI/EI (PD and EMP), alexithymia did not significantly predict the self-oriented factor score when taking SPS, childhood emotional abuse, and current depressed mood into account.…”

Section: Prediction Of Emotion Contagion and Other Processes Related ...supporting

confidence: 91%

Alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional contagion and empathy

2023

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IntroductionEmpathy—the ability to identify and share another person’s emotional state—is an important socio-emotional process arising, in part, from emotional contagion. In the current study, we assessed unique variance in emotional contagion and other empathy-related constructs accounted for by two personality traits, alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), when controlling for childhood emotional abuse and current depressed mood.MethodsA sample of 305 adults (Mage = 20.1 years) watched brief film clips chosen to induce various emotional states. After each film, the participants rated how strongly they experienced each of nine different emotions. They then completed self-report measures of alexithymia, SPS, empathy-related constructs, childhood emotional abuse, and current mood.ResultsThose scoring high (vs. low) on SPS reported stronger primary emotions and a larger range of emotions when watching the films and were more apt to believe that their emotions matched those of the individuals featured in the films. They also scored higher on both self-oriented processes (such as the tendency to feel personal distress in tense situations) and other-oriented processes (such as perspective taking and empathic concern) related to empathy. Individuals scoring high (vs. low) on alexithymia reported feeling a larger range of emotions while watching the films but scored lower on other-oriented processes related to empathy. After controlling for SPS and alexithymia, current depressed mood predicted experiencing less varied reactions to mixed valence films that elicited strong feelings of embarrassment/humiliation, and less amusement when watching positive films. Childhood emotional abuse did not emerge as a predictor of emotional contagion or empathy.DiscussionWe propose that the strong and nuanced feelings elicited in those scoring high on SPS by observing others support their personal view that they are highly empathic. In contrast, by failing to closely examine their own mixed reactions to others, individuals with alexithymia may find it difficult to connect with, understand, and respond to others’ feelings.

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Section: Prediction Of Emotion Contagion and Other Processes Related ...supporting

confidence: 91%

Alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional contagion and empathy

2023

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“…On the other hand, there is some evidence that cognitive empathy has a positive impact on individual disclosure ( Ibrahimoglu et al, 2021 ). The understanding of other people’s emotions and psychology will affect the interpretation of stimuli and the cognitive construction ( Brett and Maybery, 2021 ). Thus, individuals with low empathy frequently reduce their desire to express or interpret internal feelings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Self-Efficacy and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Undergraduates: The Mediating Role of Alexithymia and the Moderating Role of Empathy

et al. 2022

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As an increasingly serious social problem, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) of college students may be related to their social self-efficacy. However, the relationship and its internal mechanisms underlying are still unclear. The current study tested the mediating effect of alexithymia in the association between social self-efficacy and IGD, and whether this mediating process was moderated by empathy. Social Self-Efficacy Scale (PSSE), Chinese version of Internet Game Addiction Scale (IGAS-C), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Interpersonal Response Scale (IRI-C) were adopted to examine the model on 888 Chinese college students. The results indicated that social self-efficacy was significantly negatively associate with IGD. Mediation analysis illustrated that alexithymia mediated the association between social self-efficacy and IGD. Further, moderated mediation analysis manifested that the mediated effects was stronger for lower level of empathy. The conclusions corroborate and clarify the mechanisms that alexithymia mediated the association between social self-efficacy and IGD, and the mediation effects is moderated via empathy. Besides, these findings provide available references for colleges to conduct educational activities, and at the same time provide scientific suggestions for preventing IGD among undergraduates.

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“…Some researchers believe that as an unconscious and involuntary emotion that is compatible with the object’s emotion ( Abramson et al, 2020 ), empathy is the main driving force for prosocial behavior, and it can build links between one’s own and others’ emotional experiences and well-being ( Marshall et al, 2020 ), playing an essential role in interpersonal communication and experience. Other researchers believe that empathy relies on the interplay between trait abilities and state influences ( Brett and Maybery, 2021 ), describing it as the ability to understand and empathize with the experiences of others, and endowing it with “primary cognitive attributes (rather than affective attributes), including the ability to understand (rather than feel) the experiences of others and to convey such understanding and the intention to assist” ( Schurz et al, 2021 ). The above viewpoints suggest that empathy is not only a simple cognitive structure or emotional phenomenon but a combination of cognitive empathy and affective empathy.…”

Section: Literature Review and Research Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In previous studies, empathy is divided into cognitive empathy and affective empathy, which is mostly applied in the research of prosocial behavior, emotion recognition, nursing, etc. ( Juhl et al, 2020 ; Levett-Jones and Cant, 2020 ; Brett and Maybery, 2021 ). This study has combined empathy and ecology to broaden the concepts of empathy marketing and green marketing and divide empathy marketing into ecological empathy marketing and consumer empathy marketing to enable the consumers to empathize with the environment and the enterprises with an aim to strengthen the coordination between ecological protection and consumption upgrading and expand the international marketing of marine aquatic products.…”

Section: Research Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Empathy of Marine Aquaculture on Aquatic Products Consumption

Xilin

Zeng

et al. 2022

Front. Psychol.

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The prolonged COVID-19 has caused a global lockdown and greatly impacts the supply chain and consumers’ consumption behavior of aquatic products. Specifically, consumers’ increasing awareness of environmental protection drives the marine aquaculture enterprises to supply green products and establish empathy with consumers in a bid to achieve sustainable consumption. This paper conducts a study on the international green marketing paths of marine aquatic products through PLS-SEM analysis of the 407 valid samples collected from the questionnaire survey. The findings indicate that empathy marketing has a significant positive effect on consumers’ purchase intention; subjective norm has a significant positive effect on consumers’ purchase intention. Additionally, perceived behavior control has a significant mediating effect between consumers’ subjective norm and purchase intention; the consumption environment has a significant positive moderating effect on individual consumption intention. The study suggests that sustainable development can be further propelled by means of coordinating the consumers’ awareness of ecological environment protection and their enhanced consumption intention.

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Understanding Oneself to Understand Others: The Role of Alexithymia and Anxiety in the Relationships Between Autistic Trait Dimensions and Empathy

Abstract: This is the pre-print version of the following article: Brett, J. D., & Maybery, M. T. (In Press). Understanding oneself to understand others: The role of alexithymia and anxiety in the relationships between autistic trait dimensions and empathy.

Cited by 17 publications

References 77 publications

Alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional contagion and empathy

Alexithymia and sensory processing sensitivity account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional contagion and empathy

Social Self-Efficacy and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Undergraduates: The Mediating Role of Alexithymia and the Moderating Role of Empathy

Empathy of Marine Aquaculture on Aquatic Products Consumption

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