in: Journal of Personality |DOI| open access

Abstract

In times of societal crises, it is pivotal to understand and share others' feelings. Yet, the role of empathy in fostering prosocial responses during societal crises has not gained enough attention. Our study uses the onset of Russia's war on Ukraine to examine three key questions: (1) Is empathy related to attitudes toward pro-refugee policies? (2) Does empathy correlate with a higher tolerance for diverse opinions on refugee policies? (3) Is empathy linked to perceived interpersonal closeness toward social in- and outgroups, including refugees?