scholarly journals Is Empathy the Default Response to Suffering? A Meta-Analytic Evaluation of Perspective Taking’s Effect on Empathic Concern

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
William H. B. McAuliffe ◽  
Evan C. Carter ◽  
Juliana Berhane ◽  
Alexander C. Snihur ◽  
Michael E. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Random Effects ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Analytic Evaluation ◽  
Study Characteristics

We conducted a series of meta-analytic tests on experiments in which participants read perspective-taking instructions—that is, written instructions to imagine a distressed persons’ point of view (“imagine-self” and “imagine-other” instructions), or to inhibit such actions (“remain-objective” instructions)—and afterwards reported how much empathic concern they experienced upon learning about the distressed person. If people spontaneously empathize with others, then participants who receive remain-objective instructions should report less empathic concern than do participants in a “no-instructions” control condition; if people can deliberately increase how much empathic concern they experience, then imagine-self and imagine-other instructions should increase empathic concern relative to not receiving any instructions. Random-effects models revealed that remain-objective instructions reduced empathic concern, but “imagine” instructions did not significantly increase it. The results were robust to most corrections for bias. Our conclusions were not qualified by the study characteristics we examined, but most relevant moderators have not yet been thoroughly studied.

scholarly journals Is empathy the default response to suffering? A meta-analytic evaluation of perspective-taking’s effect on empathic concern

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
William H.B. McAuliffe ◽  
Evan C Carter ◽  
Juliana Berhane ◽  
Alexander Snihur ◽  
Michael E. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Random Effects ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Analytic Evaluation ◽  
Study Characteristics

We conducted a series of meta-analytic tests on experiments in which participants read perspective-taking instructions—i.e., written instructions to imagine a distressed persons’ point of view (“imagine-self” and “imagine-other” instructions), or to inhibit such actions (“remain-objective” instructions)—and afterwards reported how much empathic concern they experienced after learning about the distressed person. If people spontaneously empathize with others, then participants who receive remain-objective instructions should report less empathic concern than do participants who do not receive instructions; if people can deliberately increase how much empathic concern they experience, then imagine-self and imagine-other instructions should increase empathic concern relative to not receiving any instructions. Random-effects models revealed that medium-sized differences between imagine and remain-objective instructions were driven by remain-objective instructions. The results were robust to most corrections for bias. Our conclusions were not qualified by the study characteristics we examined, but most theoretically relevant moderators have not yet been thoroughly studied.

Seeing and Feeling Your Way to Accurate Personality Judgments

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 806-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas E. Colman ◽  
Tera D. Letzring ◽  
Jeremy C. Biesanz
Keyword(s):  
Personality Trait ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Previous Literature ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Personal Distress ◽  
Personality Judgments ◽  
Assumed Similarity ◽  
Trait Judgment

Empathy, the practice of taking and emotionally identifying with another’s point of view, is a skill that likely provides context to another’s behavior. Yet systematic research on its relation with accurate personality trait judgment is sparse. This study investigated this relation between one’s empathic response tendencies (perspective taking, empathic concern, fantasy, and personal distress) and the accuracy with which she or he makes judgments of others. Using four different samples ( N = 1,153), the tendency to perspective take ( ds = .23–.27) and show empathic concern ( ds = .28–.42) were all positively related meta-analytically to distinctive accuracy, normative accuracy, and the assumed similarity of trait judgments. However, the empathic tendencies for fantasy and personal distress showed more complex patterns of relation. These findings are discussed in relation to previous literature, and in particular, why it is reasonable for empathy to be related to the accuracy of trait judgments.

Positional Estimation Within a Latent Space Model for Networks

Methodology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Shortreed ◽  
Mark S. Handcock ◽  
Peter Hoff
Keyword(s):  
Random Effects ◽  
Network Data ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Space Model ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Latent Space ◽  
Latent Space Model ◽  
Modeling Data

Recent advances in latent space and related random effects models hold much promise for representing network data. The inherent dependency between ties in a network makes modeling data of this type difficult. In this article we consider a recently developed latent space model that is particularly appropriate for the visualization of networks. We suggest a new estimator of the latent positions and perform two network analyses, comparing four alternative estimators. We demonstrate a method of checking the validity of the positional estimates. These estimators are implemented via a package in the freeware statistical language R. The package allows researchers to efficiently fit the latent space model to data and to visualize the results.

scholarly journals Dyslipidaemia and mortality in COVID-19 patients - a meta-analysis

QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Zuin ◽  
Gianluca Rigatelli ◽  
Claudio Bilato ◽  
Carlo Cervellati ◽  
Giovanni Zuliani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Random Effects ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Statistical Heterogeneity ◽  
Trim And Fill

Abstract Objective The prevalence and prognostic implications of pre-existing dyslipidaemia in patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and mortality risk in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing dyslipidaemia. Methods Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed in abstracting data and assessing validity. We searched MEDLINE and Scopus to locate all the articles published up to January 31, 2021, reporting data on dyslipidaemia among COVID-19 survivors and non-survivors. The pooled prevalence of dyslipidaemia was calculated using a random effects model and presenting the related 95% confidence interval (CI), while the mortality risk was estimated using the Mantel-Haenszel random effects models with odds ratio (OR) and related 95% CI. Statistical heterogeneity was measured using the Higgins I2 statistic. Results Eighteen studies, enrolling 74.132 COVID-19 patients [mean age 70.6 years], met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. The pooled prevalence of dyslipidaemia was 17.5% of cases (95% CI: 12.3-24.3%, p < 0.0001), with high heterogeneity (I2=98.7%). Pre-existing dyslipidaemia was significantly associated with higher risk of short-term death (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.19-2.41, p = 0.003), with high heterogeneity (I2=88.7%). Due to publication bias, according to the Trim-and-Fill method, the corrected random-effect ORs resulted 1.61, 95% CI 1.13-2.28, p < 0.0001 (one studies trimmed). Conclusions Dyslipidaemia represents a major comorbidity in about 18% of COVID-19 patients but it is associated with a 60% increase of short-term mortality risk.

scholarly journals Association of bisphenol A with puberty timing: a meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Meng ◽  
Yunping Zhou ◽  
Yunxia Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Bisphenol A ◽  
Confidence Intervals ◽  
Random Effects ◽  
Strong Correlation ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Study Heterogeneity ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Prevalence Ratios

AbstractObjectivesThe results of existing studies on bisphenol A (BPA) and puberty timing did not reach a consensus. Thereby we performed this meta-analytic study to explore the association between BPA exposure in urine and puberty timing.MethodsMeta-analysis of the pooled odds ratios (OR), prevalence ratios (PR) or hazards ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and estimated using fixed-effects or random-effects models based on between-study heterogeneity.ResultsA total of 10 studies involving 5621 subjects were finally included. The meta-analysis showed that BPA exposure was weakly associated with thelarche (PR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93–0.99), while no association was found between BPA exposure and menarche (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.89–1.12; OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.73–1.43), and pubarche (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.79–1.26; PR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.95–1.05).ConclusionsThere was no strong correlation between BPA exposure and puberty timing. Further studies with large sample sizes are needed to verify the relationship between BPA and puberty timing.

scholarly journals Understanding the Links between Inferring Mental States, Empathy, and Burnout in Medical Contexts

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Naira Delgado ◽  
Helena Bonache ◽  
Moisés Betancort ◽  
Yurena Morera ◽  
Lasana T. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Mental State ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
Personal Distress

It is generally accepted that empathy should be the basis of patient care. However, this ideal may be unrealistic if healthcare professionals suffer adverse effects when engaging in empathy. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of inferring mental states and different components of empathy (perspective-taking; empathic concern; personal distress) in burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion; depersonalization; personal accomplishment). A total of 184 healthcare professionals participated in the study (23% male, Mage = 44.60; SD = 10.46). We measured participants’ empathy, the inference of mental states of patients, and burnout. Correlation analyses showed that inferring mental states was positively associated with perspective-taking and with empathic concern, but uncorrelated with personal distress. Furthermore, emotional exhaustion was related to greater levels of personal distress and greater levels of inferences of mental states. Depersonalization was associated with greater levels of personal distress and lower levels of empathic concern. Personal accomplishment was associated with the inference of mental states in patients, lower levels of personal distress, and perspective-taking. These results provide a better understanding of how different components of empathy and mental state inferences may preserve or promote healthcare professionals’ burnout.

EXPRESS: A meta-analysis of aspirin and subarachnoid haemorrhage in patients with intracranial aneurysms yields different results to the general population

2021 ◽  
pp. 174749302110048
Author(s):  
Frederick Ewbank ◽  
Jacqueline Birks ◽  
Diederik Bulters
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽  
Confidence Intervals ◽  
Random Effects ◽  
Intracranial Aneurysms ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Hazard Ratios ◽  
Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Abstract Background Some studies have shown a protective association between aspirin use and subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Other studies have found no relationship or the reverse. These studies differ in their study populations and definitions of SAH. Aims Our aim was to establish 1) if there is an association between aspirin and SAH, 2) how this differs between the general population and those with intracranial aneurysms. Summary of review Studies reporting aspirin use and the occurrence of SAH were included and grouped based on population (general population vs aneurysm population). Odds ratios, hazard ratios and confidence intervals were combined in random-effects models. 11 studies were included. Overall, there was an association between aspirin and SAH (OR 0.68 [0.48, 0.96]). However, populations were diverse and heterogeneity between studies high (p<0.00001), questioning the validity of combining these studies and justifying analysis by population. In the general population there was no difference in aspirin use between individuals with and without SAH (OR 1.15 [0.96, 1.38]). In patients with intracranial aneurysms, aspirin use was greater in patients without SAH (OR 0.37 [0.24, 0.58]), although these studies were at higher risk of bias. Conclusions There is an association between aspirin use and SAH in patients with intracranial aneurysms. This apparent protective relationship is not seen in the general population. Prospective randomised studies are required to further investigate the effect of aspirin on unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

scholarly journals Intentions versus Outcomes: Cooperation and Fairness in a Sequential Prisoner’s Dilemma with Nature

Games ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Garret Ridinger
Keyword(s):  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Prisoner's Dilemma ◽  
Prisoner’S Dilemma ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Prisoner’S Dilemma Game ◽  
Psychometric Measures ◽  
Prisoner's Dilemma Game ◽  
First Mover

This paper investigates the importance of concerns about intentions and outcomes in a sequential prisoner’s dilemma game with nature. In the game, there is a chance that the first mover’s choice is reversed. This allows the separation of intended actions from the resulting outcomes. Equilibrium predictions from theoretical models of fairness are tested experimentally by varying the chance the first mover’s choice is reversed and whether the second mover observes the first mover’s choice. The results show that second mover cooperation is higher when the first mover has little control over their choice and when the second mover is not told what the first mover chose. While subject behavior is consistent with concerns for both intentions and outcomes, the results indicate that these concerns work in ways not predicted by current theoretical models. In addition, I find that psychometric measures of empathic concern and perspective taking are correlated with second mover cooperation and provide potential explanations for the experimental results.

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