Are Observers Differentially Motivated to Empathize With Stigmatized Targets? An Investigation Using the Empathy Selection Task

Research shows that people do not spontaneously show empathy toward stigmatized outgroups, and especially not toward groups lacking both competence and warmth as described in the Stereotype Content Model. However, people do prove capable of empathizing with such targets when required. We hypothesized that this discrepancy is due to a lower motivation to empathize with such stigmatized targets, reflected by people perceiving higher cognitive costs when doing so. In a series of four preregistered studies (N total = 719), we tested this hypothesis by contrasting low competence/low warmth stigmatized groups with other groups in an Empathy Selection Task and measuring participants’ perceived cognitive costs of empathizing. Results replicate previous findings that people prefer to avoid empathy due to its perceived cognitive costs. However, targets’ group membership unexpectedly did not moderate effects. We propose a series of potential explanations for the absence of group membership moderating effects and suggest avenues for future work.