Does empathy make us less maximizers? Empirical proof against rational choice

Abstract

We analyzed how empathy affects rational decision-making during a conflict situation. The study collected empirical evidence from eighty volunteers who participated in a laboratory experiment where Palacio et al.'s (2015) 2x2 Conflict Game, as well as Davis's Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) were used to measure empathy and rational choice. Volunteers were divided into four groups, two of which played with the same person, while the other two played with a random partner. The study found that dimensions of empathy can both increase and decrease rational choice, with no single effect. Interestingly, the study also found that proximity to empathic situations promotes altruistic behavior. The results were correlated using a Generalized Linear Model. Overall, this study provides important insights into how empathy can influence decision-making during conflict, which has implications for fields such as psychology and economics.