RT Journal Article
T1 Relationship between emotional intelligence and empathy towards humans and animals.
A1 Gómez-Leal, Raquel
A1 Costa, Ana
A1 Megías-Robles, Alberto
A1 Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo
A1 Faria, Luisa
K1 Madurez afectiva
K1 Empatía
K1 Relaciones humanas
K1 Relaciones hombre-animal
AB Previous research has highlighted that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is related to anarray of positive interpersonal behaviours, including greater human empathy.Nonetheless, although animals are an integral part of our lives, there is still a lack ofclarity regarding the way in which EI relates to empathy towards animals. The aim ofthis study was to investigate the relationship between EI and empathy towardshumans and animals. We used the Trait-Meta Mood Scale to assess EI, theInterpersonal Reactivity Index to assess empathy for humans, and the AnimalEmpathy Scale to assess empathy for animals. Our findings revealed a positiverelationship between empathy for humans and animals. The results also supportedthe idea that EI is positively related to empathy for humans, while the relationshipbetween EI and empathy for animals was dependent on whether or not theparticipants had experience with pets. In addition, multiple regression analysisshowed that the variables that best predicted empathy for animals were having apet (or not), age, gender and human empathic concern. Finally, the relationshipbetween human empathic concern and empathy for animals was stronger inparticipants who had pets. These findings provide a better understanding of themechanisms underlying empathic behaviour and suggest that empathy for humansand animals can be influenced by different factors. Limitations and future lines ofresearch are discussed.
PB Peer J.
YR 2021
FD 2021-04-16
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/31744
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/31744
LA eng
NO Gómez-Leal R, Costa A, Megías-Robles A, Fernández-Berrocal P, Faria L. 2021. Relationship between emotional intelligence and empathy towards humans and animals. PeerJ 9:e11274 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11274
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 21 ene 2026