Distressed yet empathically sensitive: Preschoolers' responses to infant crying

Hung-Chu Lin; Michelle Grisham

doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.06.005

Distressed yet empathically sensitive: Preschoolers' responses to infant crying

Infant Behav Dev. 2017 Nov:49:46-49. doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.06.005. Epub 2017 Jul 14.

Authors

Hung-Chu Lin¹, Michelle Grisham²

Affiliations

¹ The Psychology Department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, United States. Electronic address: hung-chu.lin@louisiana.edu.
² The Psychology Department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, United States.

PMID: 28711768
DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.06.005

Abstract

Using a simulated long bout of progressively intense infant crying, this study demonstrated that preschoolers responded with infant-oriented empathic concern and helping actions despite evidence of self-focused distress. Preschoolers' helping actions were predicted by the interaction between empathic concern and cognitive inquiry.

Keywords: Cognitive process; Empathic concern; Personal distress; Preschoolers; Prosocial helping; Responses to infant crying.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child Behavior / psychology*
Child, Preschool
Crying / psychology*
Emotions
Empathy*
Facial Expression
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Psychology, Child*