Empathy-altruism

Empathy-altruism is a form of altruism based on moral emotions or feelings for others.

Social exchange theory represents a seemingly altruistic behavior benefits the altruist that outweighs the cost the altruist bears and thus such behavior is self-interested. In contrast, C. Daniel Batson holds that people help others in need out of genuine concern for the well-being of the other person.^[1] The key ingredient to such helping is "empathic concern". According to Batson's "empathy-altruism hypothesis", if someone feels empathy towards another person, they will help them, regardless of what they can gain from it.^[2] An alternative hypothesis is "empathy-joy", which states a person helps because they find pleasure at seeing another person experience relief (2008)^{[citation needed]}. When a person does not feel empathy, the standards of social exchange theory apply.

^ Aronson, E.; Wilson, T. D.; Akert, A. M. (2005). Social Psychology (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-178686-8.
^ Batson, C. Daniel; Batson, Judy G.; Slingsby, Jacqueline K.; Harrell, Kevin L.; Peekna, Heli M.; Todd, R. Matthew (1991). "Empathic joy and the empathy-altruism hypothesis". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 61 (3): 413–426. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.61.3.413. ISSN 1939-1315.

[1] Aronson, E.; Wilson, T. D.; Akert, A. M. (2005). Social Psychology (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-178686-8.

[2] Batson, C. Daniel; Batson, Judy G.; Slingsby, Jacqueline K.; Harrell, Kevin L.; Peekna, Heli M.; Todd, R. Matthew (1991). "Empathic joy and the empathy-altruism hypothesis". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 61 (3): 413–426. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.61.3.413. ISSN 1939-1315.

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