RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPATHY, GUILT AND HELPING BEHAVIOUR OF WITNESSES OF OSTRACISM: DO EMPATHY AND GUILT LEAD TO HELPING BEHAVIOUR?

Abstract

Although ostracized individuals desire to reconnect with others, they may experience difficulty in finding new social connections by themselves. In such instances, the helping behaviour of those who have witnessed the ostracism may be beneficial. Research has revealed that after observing ostracism, highly empathic individuals behave prosocially toward the ostracized. Research has also demonstrated that feelings of guilt inspire witnesses of ostracism to help the ostracized. In this study, the relationship between witnesses' guilt, empathy and helping motivation toward people who have been ostracized was examined. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that guilt and empathy, especially other-oriented emotional reactivity, have positive effects on helping motivation toward ostracized individuals. In addition, the analysis found that guilt contributed to a significant change in the explained variance. This result suggests that witnesses' guilt and empathy affect helping behaviour individually.