Date of Award

Spring 2019

Thesis Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Sponsor

Dr. Andrew Luchner

Committee Member

Dr. Paul Harris

Committee Member

Dr. John Houston

Abstract

In our every day lives we use empathy more than we would assume, however a current empathy deficit has led us to wonder how we can increase our empathy. The present study aimed to find a way to increase one’s empathy, specifically through an emotional conversation with another individual. There were 61 participants who were separated into either an emotional or factual conversation group. They first took surveys including the IRI, closeness questions, and the pre Revised Eyes Test and then engaged in conversation with another participant. They then took a post Revised Eyes Test after their conversation. The results showed that while the emotional conversation group did not increase in empathy more than the factual group, all the participants in both groups significantly increased in empathy after their conversation. The present study supports the power of conversation on increasing empathy.

Rights Holder

Joy Harlynking

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