COMPONENTS OF EMPATHY AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO DIMENSIONS OF COGNITIVE STYL

This study explored the relationship between affective and cognitive components of empathy and a person's cognitive style. Field dependence-independence was assessed, along with two dimensions inferred from Witkin's work as qualities necessary for empathy: physiognomic sensitivity and flexibility (defined here as the ability to shift between more and less regulated modes of thinking). The hypotheses were: (1) Empathy would be independent of gender; (2) Empathy would be positively related to field independence; (3) Empathy would be positively related to physiognomic sensitivity; (4) Empathy would be positively related to psychological flexibility; (5) The interaction of these variables with each other would account for empathic ability more than any one of them taken alone.;Empathy was measured by the Affective Sensitivity Scale. To distinguish "affective" and "cognitive" components, the multiple choice items included questions about feelings (affective) and questions about thoughts (cognitive). Field dependence-independence was measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test and the Articulation of Body Concept Scale; physiognomic sensitivity was measured by the Physiognomic Cue Test; and psychological flexibility was measured by the Alternate Uses Test and an adapted use of the Object Scoring Test. Subjects were 80 undergraduates (38 males and 42 females).;Though correlational analyses indicated no significant findings for the sample as a whole, the following was found for males and females, taken separately; field-dependent men showed greater affective empathy; field-independent women showed greater cognitive empathy. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that the interaction of gender, field dependence, and psychological flexibility was significant in accounting for both affective and cognitive empathy. The interaction of verbal intelligence and psychological flexibility was significant in accounting for affective empathy. Additional findings suggested combining physiognomic sensitivity and psychological flexibility as measures of "regression in the service of the ego," and using categories of Object Sorting "original" responses for more meaningful understanding of psychological flexibility.;Discussion focused on the complexity of variables, aspects of measures used as they may have related to developmental levels of empathy, and difficulties in using analogue research settings. Characteristics of the present sample and current theories of gender differences were also considered in accounting for results.