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 moderationPersistent 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
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Lo Crichio_Musso_Lo Coco_et_al._2021_Empathy and aggression_EJOP_AAM.pdfAdobe PDF - 1.13MBMD5: ecce93243e44d2702efb6b526a6e2ee9Description: Author Accepted Manuscript
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Lo Cricchio, Maria Grazia
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Musso, Pasquale
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Lo Coco, Alida
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Cassibba, Rosalinda
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Liga, Francesca
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2021-05-27T12:28:21Z
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Made available on2021-05-27T12:28:21Z
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Date of first publication2021-05-27
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Abstract / DescriptionThis 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
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Publication statusacceptedVersion
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Review statusreviewed
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CitationLo 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.4870en_US
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ISSN1841-0413
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/4306
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4870
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Language of contentengen_US
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PublisherPsychArchivesen_US
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.4509
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8337
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Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8337
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Keyword(s)empathyen_US
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Keyword(s)aggressionen_US
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Keyword(s)attachment styleen_US
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Keyword(s)profileen_US
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Keyword(s)moderationen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleThe Relation Between Empathy and Aggression: The Role of Attachment Styleen_US
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DRO typearticleen_US
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Journal titleEurope's Journal of Psychology
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Visible tag(s)PsychOpen GOLDen_US
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Visible tag(s)Accepted Manuscripten_US