2-117 - When Low Empathy is Not Enough to Explain Bullying: New Perspectives of Research on the Association Between Empathy and Bullying

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Studies have consistently shown that bullying is associated with low empathy (for a review see, van Noorden, Haselager, Bukowski, & Cillessen, 2014). Based on this evidence, bullying prevention and intervention programs have often incorporated empathy training as an essential element (for an overview, see Farrington & Ttofi, 2009). Such programs are often very expensive and time consuming, but are not always as effective as they aim to be. This suggests that other factors should be considered as possibly influential in the association between empathy and bullying, and therefore as potential resources for the intervention. Aiming to contribute to the research on empathy as a risk factor for bullying, this symposium presents new perspectives of research focusing on individual and contextual dimensions, social networks and dyadic relationships that in conjunction with empathy increase/decrease the risk for bullying. Studies in the symposium present longitudinal and concurrent data and involve international samples. Paper 1 presents the results of a longitudinal study in Chilean early-adolescents on the associations of Machiavellianism and empathy with bullying using structural equation modeling. Paper 2 focuses on peer, parent, and teacher social support as moderators of the association between empathy and social bullying in American adolescents. Using multilevel modeling as well as social network analysis, Paper 3 investigates the associations between willingness to intervene in bullying, empathy and bullying perpetration among middle school American youth. Lastly, Paper 4 focuses on dyadic relationships to explore the empathy of Dutch bullies, victims, bully/victims, and uninvolved children for each other.

Sub Unit

• Social Relationships

Chair

• Tirza van Noorden, Radboud University Nijmegen

Individual Presentations

• The Interplay of Machiavellianism and Empathic Components in Predicting Bullying Among Early-Adolescents - Presenting Author: SIMONA CARLA SILVIA CARAVITA, Universita' Cattolica; Christian Berger, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

• Examining emotional and cognitive empathy and their links to social bullying: Do different Sources of Support Matter? - Presenting Author: Milena Batanova, Tufts University; Alexandra Loukas, Univ of Texas at Austin; Keryn E Pasch, University of Texas; Alejandra Fernandez, Univ of Texas-Austin; Natalie Golaszewski, Univ of Texas at Austin

• Peer-Group Contextual Effects of Empathy and Willingness to Intervene on Bully Perpetration Rates Among Middle School Youth - Presenting Author: Namrata Doshi, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign; Dorothy Lynn Espelage, Univ of Illinois

• Empathy of Bullies, Victims, Bully/Victims, and Noninvolved Children for Each Other - Presenting Author: Tirza van Noorden, Radboud University Nijmegen; Antonius H. N. Cillessen, Radboud University Nijmegen; Gerbert J. T. Haselager, Radboud University Nijmegen; Tessa A. M. Lansu, Radboud University; William M Bukowski, Concordia University