Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents
(1) Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive issue, particularly among adolescents. Its prevalence is still high despite intervention efforts, especially for younger generations. Empathy and sexism are factors linked with IPV that have shown gender differences. This study focu...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/11/1065 |
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| author | Magaly Luisina García-Senlle Manuel Martín-Fernández Raquel Conchell Sara Arrojo Marisol Lila |
| author_facet | Magaly Luisina García-Senlle Manuel Martín-Fernández Raquel Conchell Sara Arrojo Marisol Lila |
| author_sort | Magaly Luisina García-Senlle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive issue, particularly among adolescents. Its prevalence is still high despite intervention efforts, especially for younger generations. Empathy and sexism are factors linked with IPV that have shown gender differences. This study focuses on how gender moderates the association of empathy and sexist attitudes among adolescents in Spain; (2) Methods: A two-stage stratified cluster sampling method for collecting data from 516 adolescents (219 boys, 297 girls) aged 12–18 years was used. Participants completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Hierarchical multiple regression analyzed the moderating role of gender in the relation between empathy and ambivalent sexism; (3) Results: Boys exhibited higher sexism levels than girls. Perspective taking negatively predicted hostile sexism. Empathic concern positively predicted hostile and benevolent sexism. Significant gender-specific patterns emerged: more empathic concern was linked with increased hostile sexism in boys; higher perspective taking was linked with increased benevolent sexism in boys, but was lower in girls; (4) Conclusions: There is a complex interplay among empathy, gender, and sexism, suggesting that IPV prevention programs should be tailored differently for boys and girls by considering broader socio-political contexts, addressing traditional gender norms, and promoting gender equality. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9452b82aa1d43ccb0df340f20bed911 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9452b82aa1d43ccb0df340f20bed9112025-08-20T01:53:49ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-11-011411106510.3390/bs14111065Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in AdolescentsMagaly Luisina García-Senlle0Manuel Martín-Fernández1Raquel Conchell2Sara Arrojo3Marisol Lila4Faculty of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology, University of València, 46010 Valencia, SpainFaculty of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology, University of València, 46010 Valencia, SpainFaculty of Philosophy and Education Sciences, Department of Comparative Education and History of Education, University of València, 46010 Valencia, SpainCenter on Poverty and Community Development, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USAFaculty of Psychology, Department of Social Psychology, University of València, 46010 Valencia, Spain(1) Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive issue, particularly among adolescents. Its prevalence is still high despite intervention efforts, especially for younger generations. Empathy and sexism are factors linked with IPV that have shown gender differences. This study focuses on how gender moderates the association of empathy and sexist attitudes among adolescents in Spain; (2) Methods: A two-stage stratified cluster sampling method for collecting data from 516 adolescents (219 boys, 297 girls) aged 12–18 years was used. Participants completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Hierarchical multiple regression analyzed the moderating role of gender in the relation between empathy and ambivalent sexism; (3) Results: Boys exhibited higher sexism levels than girls. Perspective taking negatively predicted hostile sexism. Empathic concern positively predicted hostile and benevolent sexism. Significant gender-specific patterns emerged: more empathic concern was linked with increased hostile sexism in boys; higher perspective taking was linked with increased benevolent sexism in boys, but was lower in girls; (4) Conclusions: There is a complex interplay among empathy, gender, and sexism, suggesting that IPV prevention programs should be tailored differently for boys and girls by considering broader socio-political contexts, addressing traditional gender norms, and promoting gender equality.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/11/1065intimate partner violenceempathyambivalent sexismadolescence |
| spellingShingle | Magaly Luisina García-Senlle Manuel Martín-Fernández Raquel Conchell Sara Arrojo Marisol Lila Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents Behavioral Sciences intimate partner violence empathy ambivalent sexism adolescence |
| title | Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents |
| title_full | Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents |
| title_fullStr | Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents |
| title_short | Do Boys Empathize Less than Girls? Exploring the Links Among Empathy, Gender and Sexist Attitudes in Adolescents |
| title_sort | do boys empathize less than girls exploring the links among empathy gender and sexist attitudes in adolescents |
| topic | intimate partner violence empathy ambivalent sexism adolescence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/11/1065 |
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