Abstract
The present laboratory-based study investigated socioeconomic status (SES) as a moderator of the association between empathic accuracy and well-being among married couples from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Empathic accuracy was measured using a performance-based measure of empathic accuracy for one’s spouse’s negative emotions during a marital conflict conversation. Aspects of well-being included well-being (i.e., positive affect, life satisfaction), ill-being (i.e., negative affect, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms), and marital satisfaction. SES was measured using a composite score of income and education. Findings showed that SES moderated associations between empathic accuracy and well-being. Empathic accuracy was beneficial (for well-being and ill-being) or not harmful (for marital satisfaction) at low levels of SES. In contrast, empathic accuracy was not beneficial (for well-being and ill-being) or harmful (for marital satisfaction) at high levels of SES. Results were robust (controlled for age, gender, and race). Findings are discussed in light of interdependence vs. independence in low- vs. high-SES contexts and highlight the importance of socioeconomic context in determining whether empathic accuracy benefits well-being or not.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1633-1654 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | Journal of Social and Personal Relationships |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2021 |
Funding
The authors wish to thank all study participants and students of the Life-Span Development Laboratory. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Emily F. Hittner is funded through the Multidisciplinary Program in Education Sciences (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, Multidisciplinary Program in Education Sciences, Grant Award #R305B140042).
Keywords
- Empathic accuracy
- marriage
- socioeconomic status
- well-being
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- Communication
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science
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Empathy in context: Socioeconomic status as a moderator of the link between empathic accuracy and well-being in married couples
Hittner, E. F. (Creator) & Haase, C. M. (Creator), SAGE Journals, 2021
DOI: 10.25384/sage.c.5337811.v1, https://sage.figshare.com/collections/Empathy_in_context_Socioeconomic_status_as_a_moderator_of_the_link_between_empathic_accuracy_and_well-being_in_married_couples/5337811/1
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