Psychological Development and Education ›› 2018, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (2): 129-136.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2018.02.01

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Gender Difference in Empathy: The Evidence from Meta-analysis

YAN Zhiqiang, SU Yanjie   

  1. School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, PR China 100871
  • Online:2018-03-15 Published:2018-03-15

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Abstract: The present research conducted a meta-analysis to explore the relationship between empathy and gender, and the factors affecting this relationship. Through literature retrieval, 175 cases and 186 independent effect sizes together with 179546 participants which met the inclusion criteria of meta-analysis were selected. Heterogeneity test indicated that the random effects model was appropriate for the meta-analysis. The result of funnel plot and fail-safe number illustrated that there was no publication bias. Main-effect test findings demonstrated that empathy was significantly associated with gender (r=-0.23, p<0.001). The moderator analysis revealed that empathy measurement tools moderated the relationship between empathy and gender (Qb=87.18, p<0.001), participants' age moderated the relationship between empathy (Qb=36.80, p<0.001), emotional empathy (Qb=21.04, p<0.001) and gender. For example, the questionnaire which mainly measures person's affective empathy would be easier to show gender difference, and preschool age won't show difference in empathy or cognitive empathy and affective empathy, and puberty would be the most salient period in the relationship between empathy, emotional empathy and gender.

Key words: empathy, gender difference, meta-analysis, moderate effect, preschool child, puberty

CLC Number: 

  • B844

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