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Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany

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Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany. / Hajek, André; König, Hans-Helmut.

In: PLOS ONE, Vol. 17, No. 3, e0265544, 16.03.2022.

Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Hajek, A & König, H-H 2022, 'Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany', PLOS ONE, vol. 17, no. 3, e0265544. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265544

APA

Hajek, A., & König, H-H. (2022). Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany. PLOS ONE, 17(3), [e0265544]. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265544

Vancouver

Hajek A, König H-H. Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany. PLOS ONE. 2022 Mar 16;17(3). e0265544. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265544

Bibtex

@article{23daa0ab84b346e39a20e5e4ccd8586c,
title = "Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany",
abstract = "AIM: Our purpose was to clarify the level and correlates of empathy and altruism in the German population during the Covid-19 pandemic.METHODS: A nationally representative survey (n = 3,075) was conducted in August/September 2021. To measure empathy, a short scale based on the Interpersonality Reactivity Index (IRI; German version: Saarbrucken personality questionnaire, SPF) was used (SPF-K). Based on the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP; IPIP-5F30F-R1), the subscale altruism was used to quantify altruism.RESULTS: The average altruism score was 3.3 (SD: 0.7), ranging from 1 to 5. Moreover, the average empathy score was 13.1 (SD: 2.8), ranging from 4 to 20. The level of empathy significantly differed between the subgroups. For example, high levels of empathy were identified among women (average: 13.7, SD: 2.7), individuals with children (average: 13.5, SD: 2.8), and individuals with migration background (average: 13.6, SD: 2.8). Effect sizes were mostly small. Similar differences (in terms of effect size) were identified between these groups regarding altruism. Additionally, regressions showed that higher levels of both empathy and altruism were associated with being female, younger age, having children, sports activities and having at least one chronic disease. Moreover, vaccination against Covid-19 was only associated with higher altruism, but not with higher empathy.CONCLUSION: Our study emphasized the moderately high level of empathy and altruism in Germany during times of the pandemic. Identifying the correlates of these factors may help to address individuals with very low levels of these factors.",
author = "Andr{\'e} Hajek and Hans-Helmut K{\"o}nig",
year = "2022",
month = mar,
day = "16",
doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0265544",
language = "English",
volume = "17",
journal = "PLOS ONE",
issn = "1932-6203",
publisher = "Public Library of Science",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Level and correlates of empathy and altruism during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence from a representative survey in Germany

AU - Hajek, André

AU - König, Hans-Helmut

PY - 2022/3/16

Y1 - 2022/3/16

N2 - AIM: Our purpose was to clarify the level and correlates of empathy and altruism in the German population during the Covid-19 pandemic.METHODS: A nationally representative survey (n = 3,075) was conducted in August/September 2021. To measure empathy, a short scale based on the Interpersonality Reactivity Index (IRI; German version: Saarbrucken personality questionnaire, SPF) was used (SPF-K). Based on the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP; IPIP-5F30F-R1), the subscale altruism was used to quantify altruism.RESULTS: The average altruism score was 3.3 (SD: 0.7), ranging from 1 to 5. Moreover, the average empathy score was 13.1 (SD: 2.8), ranging from 4 to 20. The level of empathy significantly differed between the subgroups. For example, high levels of empathy were identified among women (average: 13.7, SD: 2.7), individuals with children (average: 13.5, SD: 2.8), and individuals with migration background (average: 13.6, SD: 2.8). Effect sizes were mostly small. Similar differences (in terms of effect size) were identified between these groups regarding altruism. Additionally, regressions showed that higher levels of both empathy and altruism were associated with being female, younger age, having children, sports activities and having at least one chronic disease. Moreover, vaccination against Covid-19 was only associated with higher altruism, but not with higher empathy.CONCLUSION: Our study emphasized the moderately high level of empathy and altruism in Germany during times of the pandemic. Identifying the correlates of these factors may help to address individuals with very low levels of these factors.

AB - AIM: Our purpose was to clarify the level and correlates of empathy and altruism in the German population during the Covid-19 pandemic.METHODS: A nationally representative survey (n = 3,075) was conducted in August/September 2021. To measure empathy, a short scale based on the Interpersonality Reactivity Index (IRI; German version: Saarbrucken personality questionnaire, SPF) was used (SPF-K). Based on the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP; IPIP-5F30F-R1), the subscale altruism was used to quantify altruism.RESULTS: The average altruism score was 3.3 (SD: 0.7), ranging from 1 to 5. Moreover, the average empathy score was 13.1 (SD: 2.8), ranging from 4 to 20. The level of empathy significantly differed between the subgroups. For example, high levels of empathy were identified among women (average: 13.7, SD: 2.7), individuals with children (average: 13.5, SD: 2.8), and individuals with migration background (average: 13.6, SD: 2.8). Effect sizes were mostly small. Similar differences (in terms of effect size) were identified between these groups regarding altruism. Additionally, regressions showed that higher levels of both empathy and altruism were associated with being female, younger age, having children, sports activities and having at least one chronic disease. Moreover, vaccination against Covid-19 was only associated with higher altruism, but not with higher empathy.CONCLUSION: Our study emphasized the moderately high level of empathy and altruism in Germany during times of the pandemic. Identifying the correlates of these factors may help to address individuals with very low levels of these factors.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0265544

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0265544

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 35294503

VL - 17

JO - PLOS ONE

JF - PLOS ONE

SN - 1932-6203

IS - 3

M1 - e0265544

ER -