Phalguni Soin, Ankit Prakash, Kaiser Ahmad Dar Naved Iqbal
University of Delhi, New Delhi Government Degree College Jamia Millia Islamia
Jammu and Kashmir New Delhi
Current understandings that can show the role of gender in the relationship between
Prosocial behaviour and Empathy are still limited though this area has been examined
and conceptualized in different ways. Considering the scarcity of published researches
in this area the current study examined the moderating role of gender in the relationship
between prosocial behaviour and empathy. Conceptual arguments and empirical
evidence on each of these variables are thoroughly reviewed as only a few studies
have assessed these variables simultaneously or across sources. The present study
examined whether higher degrees of empathy correlates with a greater exhibition of
prosocial behaviour and the gender differences in prosocial behaviour and empathy.
In the study, 120 college-going students (60 Males and 60 Females) from Delhi, NCR
between the age of 18 to 23 responded to the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM) and
Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). The findings of the study show that females display
a greater degree of prosocial behaviour and empathy than males. It means gender acts
as a moderator in the relationship between prosocial behaviour and empathy. It was
also found that there is a strong association between prosocial behaviour and empathy
and the gender differences create variability in the demonstration of helping behavior
and the level of empathy endured
.