PERSONAL VALUES AND THE EMPATHIC RESPONSE: THEIR INTER-RELATIONSHIPS

Dymond's Rating Test for measuring empathic ability and Egbert's Study of Choices (a personal value test) were given to 80 educational psychology students. Analysis of results indicated that students with high empathic ability tended to have the highest values in areas where group interaction and social intercourse are major factors. "Where the high values are less dependent upon group life and can be satisfied by individual action, empathy scores appear to be lower." Certain other factors appear to be related to empathy: (1) amount of dispersion within a given value pattern, (2) family life and social service, (3) the ability to be "empathized with."