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In Others' Shoes: Do Individual Differences in Empathy and Theory of Mind Shape Social Preferences?

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  • Florian Artinger
  • Filippos Exadaktylos
  • Hannes Koppel
  • Lauri Sääksvuori

Abstract

Abundant evidence across the behavioral and social sciences suggests that there are substantial individual differences in pro-social behavior. However, little is known about the psychological mechanisms that underlie social preferences. This paper investigates whether empathy and Theory of Mind shape individual differences in pro-social behavior as conventionally observed in neutrally framed social science experiments. Our results show that individual differences in the capacity for empathy do not shape social preferences. The results qualify the role of Theory of Mind in strategic interaction. We do not only show that fair individuals exhibit more accurate beliefs about the behavior of others but that Theory of Mind can be effectively used to pursue both self-interest and pro-social goals depending on the principle objectives of a person.

Suggested Citation

  • Florian Artinger & Filippos Exadaktylos & Hannes Koppel & Lauri Sääksvuori, 2014. "In Others' Shoes: Do Individual Differences in Empathy and Theory of Mind Shape Social Preferences?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(4), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0092844
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092844
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    2. Sylvie Thoron, 2016. "Morality Beyond Social Preferences: Smithian Sympathy, Social Neuroscience and the Nature of Social Consciousness [La moralité au delà des préférences sociales. La sympathie Smithienne, les neurosc," Post-Print hal-01645043, HAL.
    3. Vanessa Oltra, 2022. "De l’homo oeconomicus empathique à l’homo sympathicus Les apports de la sympathie smithienne à la compréhension des comportements prosociaux," Working Papers hal-03623609, HAL.
    4. Kamas, Linda & Preston, Anne, 2021. "Empathy, gender, and prosocial behavior," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    5. Nakagawa, Koichi & Kosaka, Genjiro, 2022. "What social issues do people invest in? An examination based on the empathy–altruism hypothesis of prosocial crowdfunding platforms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    6. Philip A Powell & Olivia Wills & Gemma Reynolds & Kaisa Puustinen-Hopper & Jennifer Roberts, 2018. "The effects of exposure to images of others' suffering and vulnerability on altruistic, trust-based, and reciprocated economic decision-making," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, March.
    7. Vanessa MICHEL(OLTRA), 2022. "De l’homo oeconomicus empathique à l’homo sympathicus Les apports de la sympathie smithienne à la compréhension des comportements prosociaux," Bordeaux Economics Working Papers 2022-03, Bordeaux School of Economics (BSE).
    8. Vassallo, Jarrod P. & Banerjee, Sourindra & Zaman, Hasanuzzaman & Prabhu, Jaideep C., 2023. "Design thinking and public sector innovation: The divergent effects of risk-taking, cognitive empathy and emotional empathy on individual performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    9. Vittorio Pelligra & Alejandra Vásquez, 2020. "Empathy and socially responsible consumption: an experiment with the vote-with-the-wallet game," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 89(4), pages 383-422, November.
    10. Wong, Amy & Lee, Marcus, 2022. "Building engagement in online brand communities: The effects of socially beneficial initiatives on collective social capital," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Ilaria Castelli & Davide Massaro & Cristina Bicchieri & Alex Chavez & Antonella Marchetti, 2014. "Fairness Norms and Theory of Mind in an Ultimatum Game: Judgments, Offers, and Decisions in School-Aged Children," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(8), pages 1-10, August.
    12. Kaisa Herne & Jari K Hietanen & Olli Lappalainen & Esa Palosaari, 2022. "The influence of role awareness, empathy induction and trait empathy on dictator game giving," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(3), pages 1-19, March.

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