Psychological Development and Education ›› 2012, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (5): 478-486.

Previous Articles     Next Articles

College Students’ Trait Empathy and Internet Altruistic Behavior: The Mediating Effects of Online Social Support

ZHAO Huan-huan1,2, ZHANG He-yun3, LIU Qin-xue1,2, WANG Fu-xing1,2, ZHOU Zong-kui1,2   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior(CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079;
    2. School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079;
    3. School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074
  • Online:2012-09-15 Published:2012-09-15

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine how the college students' trait empathy influenced internet altruistic behavior,and to explore the mediating effects of online social support in the relationship between trait empathy and internet altruistic behavior.The Mehrabian Emotional Empathy Scale,the Online Social Support Scale of Adolescence and the Internet Altruistic Behavior Scale of Undergraduates have been applied to collect data from 560 college students.The results indicated as follows: (1) As a whole,ability of college students' trait empathy was high,and girls scored significantly higher than boys; college students' online social support generally in good condition and internet altruistic behavior in moderate; no significant differences of online social support and internet altruistic behavior were emerged in genders.(2) College students' trait empathy and online social support were all the positive predictor of internet altruistic behavior.(3) College students' online social support played a fully mediation effect on trait empathy and internet altruistic behavior; especially,the affection support and peer support of online social support had prominent mediating effects on the relationship between the college students' trait empathy and internet altruistic behavior.

Key words: college students, trait empathy, internet altruistic behavior, online social support, mediating effects

CLC Number: 

  • B844.2
[1] Albiero,P.,Matricardi,G.,Speltri,D.,& Toso,D.(2009).The assessment of empathy in adolescence: A contribution to the Italian validation of the "Basic Empathy Scale".Journal of Adolescence,32,393-408.
[2] Baron,R.M.,& Kenny,D.A.(1986).The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual,strategic,and statistical considerations.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,51(6),11-73.
[3] Batson,C.D.(1987).Prosocial motivation: Is it ever truly altruistic? Social Psychology,20,65-122.
[4] Batson,C.D.,& Shaw,L.L.(1991).Evidence for altruism: Toward a pluralism of prosocial motives.Psychological Inquiry,2 (2),107-122.
[5] Batson,C.D.,O'Quin,K.,Fultz,J.,Vanderplas,M.,& Isen,A.M.(1983).Influence of self-reported distress and empathy on egoistic versus altruistic motivation to help.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,45,706-718.
[6] Budescu,D.V.(1993).Dominance analysis: A new approach to the problem of relative importance of predictors in multiple regression.Psychological Bulletin,114(3),542.
[7] Calvete,E.,Orue,I.,Estévez,A.,Villardón,L.,& Padilla,P.(2010).Cyberbullying in adolescents: Modalities and aggressors' profile.Computers in Human Behavior,26,1128-1135.
[8] Caspi,A.,& Gorsky,P.(2006).Online deception: Prevalence,motivation,and emotion.Cyber Psychology & Behavior,9 (1),54-49.
[9] Cialdini,R.B.,Brown,S.L.,Lewis,B.P.,Luce,C.,& Neuberg,S.L.(1997).Reinterpreting the empathy-altruism relationship: When one into one equals oneness.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,73,481-494.
[10] de Waal,F.B.M.(2008).Putting the altruism back in altruism: The evolution of empathy.Annual Review of Psychology,59,279-300.
[11] Devoldre,I.,Davis,M.H.,Verhofstadt,L.L.,& Buysse,A.(2010).Empathy and social support provision in couples: Social support and the need to study the underlying processes.The Journal of Psychology,144(3),259-284.
[12] Eisenberg,N.,Fabes,R.A.,& Spinrad,T.L.(2006).Prosocial development.In N.Eisenberg,W.Damon,& R.M.Lerner (Eds.) Social,emotional,and personality development (6th Ed.),Handbook of Child Psychology (Vol.3,pp.646-718).Hoboken,NJ: USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
[13] Finfgeld,D.L.(2000).Therapeutic groups online: The good,the bad,and the unknown.Issues in Mental Health Nursing,21(3),241-255.
[14] Hoffman,M.L.(1987).The contribution of empathy to justice and moral judgment.In N.Eisenberg and J.Strayer (Eds.) Empathy and its development (pp.47-80).New York: Cambridge University Press.
[15] Kenrick,D.T.,Griskevicius,V.,Sundie,J.M.,Li,N.P.,Li,Y.J.,& Neuberg,S.L.(2009).Deep rationality: The evolutionary economics of decision making.Social Cognition,27(5),764-785.
[16] Kessler,R.C.,Price,R.H.,& Wortman,C.B.(1985).Social factors in psychopathology: Stress,social support and coping process.Annual Review of Psychology,36,531-572.
[17] Kraut,R.,Kiesler,S.,Boneva,B.,Cummings,J.,Helgeson,V.,& Crawford,A.(2002).Internet paradox revisited.Journal of Social Issues,58(1),49-74.
[18] Latané,B.,& Darley,J.M.(1968).Group inhibition of bystander intervention in emergencies.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,10(3),215-221.
[19] Lawler,E.J.,& Thye,S.R.(1999).Bringing Emotion into Social Exchange Theory.Annual Review of Sociology Bulletin,25,1049-1058.
[20] Lo,S.K.,Wang,C.C.,& Fang,W.C.(2005).Physical interpersonal relationships and social anxiety among online game players.Cyber Psychology & Behavior,8(1),15-20.
[21] Maner,J.K.,Luce,C.L.,Neuberg,S.L.,Cialdini,T.B.,Brown,S.,& Sagarin,B.J.(2002).The Effects of Perspective Taking on Motivations for Helping: Still No Evidence for Altruism.Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,28(11),1601-1610.
[22] McKenna,K.Y.,& Bargh,J.A.(2000).Plan 9 from cyberspace: The implications of the internet for personality and social psychology.Personality and Social Psychology Review,4,57-75.
[23] Mehrabian,A.,& Epstein,N.(1972).A measure of emotional empathy.Journal of Personality,40(4),525-543.
[24] Mitchell,M.E.,Lebow,J.R.,Uribe,R.,Grathouse,H.,& Shoger,W.(2011).Internet use,happiness,social support and introversion: A more fine grained analysis of person variables and internet activity.Computers in Human Behavior,27,1857-1861.
[25] Neuberg,S.L.,Cialdini,R.B.,& Brown,S.L.(1997).Does Empathy Lead to Anything More Than Superficial Helping? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,73(3),510-516.
[26] Sarason,B.R.,Pierce,G.R.,Bannerman,A.,& Sarason,I.G.(1993).Investigating the antecedents of perceived social support: Parents' views of and behavior toward their children.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,65(5),1071-1085.
[27] Scarpa,A.,& Haden,S.C.(2006).Community violence victimization and aggressivebehavior: The moderating effects of coping and social support.Aggressive Behavior,32,502-515.
[28] Schimel,J.,Wohl,M.J.A.,& Williams,T.(2006).Terror management and trait empathy: Evidence that mortality salience promotes reactions of forgiveness among people with high (vs.low) trait empathy.Motivation and Emotion,30,217-227.
[29] Smallbone,S.W.,Wheaton,J.,& Hourigan,D.(2003).Trait empathy and criminal versatility in sexual offenders.Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment,15(1),49-60.
[30] Tichon,J.G.,& Shapior,M.(2003).The process of sharing social support in cyberspace.Cyber Psychology and Behavior,6 (2),131-170.
[31] Trobst,K.K.,Collins,R.L.,& Embree,J.M.(1994).The role of emotion in social support provision: Gender,empathy and expressions of distress.Journal of Social and Personal Relationships,11,45-62.
[32] Twenge,J.M.,Baumeister,R.F.,DeWall,C.N.,Ciarocco,N.J.,& Bartels,J.M.(2007).Social exclusion decreases prosocial behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,92(1),56-66.
[33] Van Lange,P.A.M.(2008).Does empathy trigger only altruistic motivation-How about selflessness and justice? Emotion,8,766-774.
[34] Vitaglione,G.D.,& Barnett,M.A.(2003).Assessing a new dimension of empathy: Empathic anger as a predictor of helping and punishing desires.Motivation and Emotion,27(4),301-325.
[35] Vreeke,G.J.,& van der Mark,I.L.(2003).Empathy,an integrative model.New Ideas in Psychology,21,177-207.
[36] 程德华,杨治良.(2009).移情能力与内隐助人倾向的相关研究.心理科学,32(6),1314-1317.
[37] 丁道群,沈模卫.(2005).人格特质、网络社会支持与网络人际信任的关系.心理科学,28(2),300-303.
[48] 韩丽颖.(2005).特质移情和状态移情及其对助人行为的影响研究.硕士学位论文.东北师范大学.
[39] 梁晓燕.(2008).网络社会支持对青少年心理健康的影响机制研究.博士学位论文.华中师范大学.
[40] 马晓辉,雷雳.(2011).青少年网络道德与其网络亲社会行为的关系.心理科学,34(2),423-428
[41] 万晶晶,张锦涛,刘勤学,邓林园,方晓义.(2010).大学生心理需求网络满足问卷的编制.心理与行为研究,8(2),118-125.
[42] 谢宝国,龙立荣.(2006).优势分析方法及其应用.心理科学,29(4),922-925.
[43] 余宏波,刘桂珍.(2006).移情、道德推理、观点采择与亲社会行为关系的研究进展.心理发展与教育,1,113-116.
[44] 郑显亮.(2010).大学生网络利他行为: 量表制作与多层线性分析.博士学位论文.上海师范大学.
[45] 中国互联网信息中心.第29次中国互联网发展状况统计报告.2012年1月.
[1] FAN Xianglin, CUI Yingjin. The Relationship between Objectified Body Consciousness and Restrained Eating Behavior among Female College Students: The Mediating Roles of Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation and Sociocultural Pressure [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(1): 122-131.
[2] ZHANG Huiru, ZHANG Weida, FU Wangqian, DENG Min, PENG Suhao, LI Yu. The Influence of Loneliness on Creative Inclination: Mediating Role of Boredom and Anxiety [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(1): 132-141.
[3] HE Anming, ZHANG Yurui, HUI Qiuping. The Relationship between Gratitude and Social Well-being in College Students: The Mediating Role of Phubbing and the Moderating Role of Negative Life Events [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(4): 505-512.
[4] ZHENG Xianliang, CHEN Huiping, WANG Xue, BAO Zhenzhou. Development Trends of Adolescents’ Internet Altruistic Behavior and the Influence of Social Class: A Longitudinal Study [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(3): 333-341.
[5] ZENG Zihao, PENG Liyi, ZHAN Lin, LIU Shuangjin, OUYANG Xiaoyou, DING Daoqun, LI Zhihua, HU Yiqiu, FANG Xiaoyi. The Effect of Childhood Maltreatment on College Students’ Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-being and the Moderation Role of Gene [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(2): 276-285.
[6] CAO Ruilin, MEI Songli, LIANG Leilei, LI Chuanen, ZHANG Ying. Relationship between Gratitude and Internet Addiction among College Students: The Mediating Role of Core Self-evaluation and Meaning in Life [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(2): 286-294.
[7] CHEN Zixun, LI Jinwen, WANG Yumeng, LIU Xia. The Relationship between Cumulative Environmental Risk and Non-suicidal Self-injury among College Students: The Effects of Emotion Regulation Strategies [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(1): 109-120.
[8] ZHENG Shuang, LIU Hongrui, LI Jing, XI Yu, YAO Meilin. Proactive Personality and College Students’ Entrepreneurial Preparation Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Entrepreneurial Intention and Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Social Support [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(6): 813-821.
[9] WANG Hao, YU Guoliang. The Relation between Attachment Anxiety and Depression among College Students: The Sequential Mediation Effects of Relational Aggression and Relationship Quality in Dating Relationships [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(6): 879-885.
[10] ZHU Lijun, YANG Qiang, YE Baojuan, CHEN Zhinan, ZHANG Li. Connectedness to Nature on College Students’ Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(6): 886-893.
[11] ZHANG Baosheng, LI Xin, LI Xinye, ZHANG Qingpu. Research on the Influence Mechanism of Subjective Norm on University Students' Volunteer Engagement: A Chain Double-mediation with Adjustment Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(5): 658-666.
[12] LI Song, CHEN Xu, RAN Guangming, ZHANG Qi. Passive Social Network Site Use and Social Anxiety: The Influence of Rumination and Self-construals [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(5): 720-728.
[13] CHEN Jianwen, LIU Yan, TAN Qianbao. The Relationship of Cumulative Ecological Risk and Higher Vocational College Students’ Learning Burnout: The Mediation Effect of Negative Self-schema and Internet Addiction [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(4): 576-583.
[14] ZHANG Chunyang, XU Wei. Childhood Trauma and Negative Emotions among College Students with Left-behind Experience: The Moderation of Resilience [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(4): 584-591.
[15] XIE Yunzi, WU Jixia, WANG Shicheng, YANG Ze. The Effect of Childhood Emotional Neglect on College Students’ Depression: The Chain Mediating Effect of Perceived Control and Regulatory Emotional Self-efficacy [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(3): 407-417.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited

  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!