Article Accepted Manuscript

The Relation Between Empathy and Aggression: The Role of Attachment Style

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Lo Cricchio, Maria Grazia
Musso, Pasquale
Lo Coco, Alida
Cassibba, Rosalinda
Liga, Francesca

Abstract / Description

This study aimed to examine the explaining and moderating role of attachment style profiles on the association between empathy and aggression. Participants were 548 Italian adults (M age = 47.62, SD = 6.14) who completed a survey measuring attachment, empathy, and aggression. Using cluster analytic methods, initial results indicated two attachment style profiles to be considered (secure vs. insecure). However, we also extracted a more theoretically guided four-cluster solution including preoccupied, secure, fearful, and dismissing profiles. Moreover, structural equation modelling showed that higher levels of empathy linked to lower levels of aggression. Nonetheless, when introducing in the model the dichotomous or the multi-categorical attachment style profile variable as predictive of both empathy and aggression, their association became not significant, while secure attachment profile significantly presented higher levels of empathy and lower levels of aggression compared to the other profiles. Furthermore, attachment style profile moderated the link between empathy and aggression. Specifically, in the secure group empathy and aggression were negatively related, but no significant association was evidenced in the other groups. Findings are discussed in the light of the literature.

Keyword(s)

empathy aggression attachment style profile moderation

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2021-05-27

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Publisher

PsychArchives

Publication status

acceptedVersion

Review status

reviewed

Is version of

Citation

Lo Cricchio, M. G., Musso, P., Lo Coco, A., Cassibba, R., & Liga F. (in press). The relation between empathy and aggression: The role of attachment style [Author accepted manuscript]. Europe's Journal of Psychology. http://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4870
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Lo Cricchio, Maria Grazia
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Musso, Pasquale
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Lo Coco, Alida
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Cassibba, Rosalinda
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Liga, Francesca
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2021-05-27T12:28:21Z
  • Made available on
    2021-05-27T12:28:21Z
  • Date of first publication
    2021-05-27
  • Abstract / Description
    This study aimed to examine the explaining and moderating role of attachment style profiles on the association between empathy and aggression. Participants were 548 Italian adults (M age = 47.62, SD = 6.14) who completed a survey measuring attachment, empathy, and aggression. Using cluster analytic methods, initial results indicated two attachment style profiles to be considered (secure vs. insecure). However, we also extracted a more theoretically guided four-cluster solution including preoccupied, secure, fearful, and dismissing profiles. Moreover, structural equation modelling showed that higher levels of empathy linked to lower levels of aggression. Nonetheless, when introducing in the model the dichotomous or the multi-categorical attachment style profile variable as predictive of both empathy and aggression, their association became not significant, while secure attachment profile significantly presented higher levels of empathy and lower levels of aggression compared to the other profiles. Furthermore, attachment style profile moderated the link between empathy and aggression. Specifically, in the secure group empathy and aggression were negatively related, but no significant association was evidenced in the other groups. Findings are discussed in the light of the literature.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    acceptedVersion
  • Review status
    reviewed
  • Citation
    Lo Cricchio, M. G., Musso, P., Lo Coco, A., Cassibba, R., & Liga F. (in press). The relation between empathy and aggression: The role of attachment style [Author accepted manuscript]. Europe's Journal of Psychology. http://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4870
    en_US
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4306
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4870
  • Language of content
    eng
    en_US
  • Publisher
    PsychArchives
    en_US
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.4509
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8337
  • Is related to
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8337
  • Keyword(s)
    empathy
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    aggression
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    attachment style
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    profile
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    moderation
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    The Relation Between Empathy and Aggression: The Role of Attachment Style
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
    en_US
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsychOpen GOLD
    en_US
  • Visible tag(s)
    Accepted Manuscript
    en_US