Most Empathetic Countries? (how much, statistics, rich)

[Halcyon18]

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-mos...st-been-ranked

In 2016, an online survey (available only in English) was taken by over 100,000 people around the world. The survey asked participants to rank statements such as "I have concerned feelings for those who are less fortunate" and "I am satisfied with myself" (not sure what self-esteem has to do with empathy though). Below are the countries that scored the highest:

1. Ecuador
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Peru
4. Denmark
5. UAE
6. South Korea
7. US
8. Taiwan
9. Costa Rica
10. Kuwait

Seven of the bottom ten were in Eastern Europe, with the lowest ranking country being Lithuania. It should be noted that the survey only gives a screenshot of empathy levels at the time the survey was taken (I guess they're implying that average empathy levels are somewhat volatile?).

Did any of these surprise you? Personally, I was surprised to see SA ranked so highly and Scandinavia ranked so lowly. I also didn't expect big differences among western Anglo countries. In fact, I expected average empathy to be pretty constant around the world. Although I'm also not sure how much faith I can put into online, self-reported surveys anyway (or maybe I'm just not willing to get over my biases :P). What do you all think?

[Greysholic]

Originally Posted by Halcyon18

In 2016, an online survey (available only in English) was taken by over 100,000 people around the world. The survey asked participants to rank statements such as "I have concerned feelings for those who are less fortunate" and "I am satisfied with myself" (not sure what self-esteem has to do with empathy though). Below are the countries that scored the highest:

1. Ecuador
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Peru
4. Denmark
5. UAE
6. South Korea
7. US
8. Taiwan
9. Costa Rica
10. Kuwait

Sounds like a feel-good self-reporting load of crap. No offense.

[AFP]

No offense OP but that's a stupid question they used to determine empathy.

Here's a real simple definition that I agree with.

Quote "Empathy is the experience of understanding another person's condition from their perspective. You place yourself in their shoes and feel what they are feeling. Empathy is known to increase prosocial (helping) behaviors." end Quote


https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/empathy

[euro123]

Not surprised about UAE.
Actually no big surprises here, except I'd expect Italy, Vatican or Greece to rank very high.

I agree the researchers are strangely mixing satisfaction with empathy though, empathy is just imaging yourself in different situations ("would you feel pain or be happy given that an event N happens to you?"). Satisfaction with your current life is different thing, which is why they get low scores in Lituania or Russia, Ukraine etc.

The "study" is prone to researcher's bias, they seem desperate to show that "white peoples from eastern europe are evil" while the enemies of israel are "best peoples in the world"...

[HumbleMerchant]

If SA is up there then where is North Korea?

[Halcyon18]

Originally Posted by euro123

Not surprised about UAE.
Actually no big surprises here, except I'd expect Italy, Vatican or Greece to rank very high.

I agree the researchers are strangely mixing satisfaction with empathy though, empathy is just imaging yourself in different situations ("would you feel pain or be happy given that an event N happens to you?"). Satisfaction with your current life is different thing, which is why they get low scores in Lituania or Russia, Ukraine etc.

The "study" is prone to researcher's bias, they seem desperate to show that "white peoples from eastern europe are evil" while the enemies of israel are "best peoples in the world"...

True, but interestingly enough, Scandinavian countries rank the highest in life satisfaction, yet they didn't fare particularly well in this study. If they did, then I would have also come to the conclusion that this study is about satisfaction rather than empathy.

I also would have expected discrepancies in empathy (if any even exist in the first place) to be regional, rather than international, if that makes sense. But if you look at the top ten list, it ranges from Peru to Saudi Arabia to South Korea to the US.

Once again, I have my doubts about the study- hence the question mark in the thread title- but I wanted to see what everyone else thought.

[euro123]

^ It seems random enough to look as if they've really asked people at least...f I were to fake such study it will look kind of like this:

1. Tibet
2 Vatican
3. Israel
4. UAE
5. Monaco
6. Italy
7. Turkey
8. Lebanon
9. Czechia
10. India

[Douglas Dakota]

UAE and Saudi Arabia, LOL. It's where the rich ruling class exploits the workers and maids from poor countries without any mercy and empathy. Or does that only counts for people who are less fortunate and belong to my own class, religion or family?
That statistics seems like a big rubbish for me.

[AFP]

Originally Posted by Halcyon18

True, but interestingly enough, Scandinavian countries rank the highest in life satisfaction, yet they didn't fare particularly well in this study. If they did, then I would have also come to the conclusion that this study is about satisfaction rather than empathy.

I also would have expected discrepancies in empathy (if any even exist in the first place) to be regional, rather than international, if that makes sense. But if you look at the top ten list, it ranges from Peru to Saudi Arabia to South Korea to the US.

Once again, I have my doubts about the study- hence the question mark in the thread title- but I wanted to see what everyone else thought.

A few of those countries on the list are very hierarchical in their social structure as well as authoritarian and those types of cultures really suck at empathy.

[Pueblofuerte]

One thing is saying you're empathetic another is acting upon it. Also that "empathy" may only stretch to their "own kind". I don't see Saudi Arabia wanting to help Syrians, Yemenis or Iranians.