There has been much debate over whether men or women are more empathetic. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Researchers have conducted various studies to try to determine if one gender is more naturally empathetic than the other. While results are mixed, several factors may influence empathy levels in men and women.
Studies on gender differences in empathy
Some studies have found that women self-report higher levels of empathy than men. For example, a large-scale meta-analysis published in 2015 looked at 105 studies with over 200,000 participants. Across these studies, women scored significantly higher than men on self-report measures of empathy such as the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI).
However, other studies using performance-based tests rather than self-reports have yielded more mixed results. A 2018 comprehensive review examined 198 effect sizes from 30 studies involving nearly 6,000 participants. While women were more empathetic overall, the gender differences were very small on performance-based empathy tests. The researchers concluded that gender accounted for less than 1% of the variability in empathy.
There are also differences in the specific aspects of empathy that men and women excel in. For instance, women tend to score higher on emotional empathy, which involves sharing in another’s emotions. Men score higher on cognitive empathy, which involves understanding another’s mental state but remaining emotionally detached.
Reasons for gender differences
There are several potential reasons why women may score higher on some measures of empathy:
- Evolution – Caring for offspring may have selected for higher empathy in women.
- Socialization – Girls are encouraged to be nurturing, while boys are told to “toughen up.”
- Neurobiology – Women have more oxytocin, a hormone involved in bonding.
- Communication style – Women’s conversational patterns are more empathetic.
However, gender is not destiny. Social and cultural forces also shape empathy. Even if women are more empathetic on average, men can certainly be highly empathetic too with proper encouragement.
Empathy across cultures
Culture also plays a major role in empathy. Those from individualistic, Western cultures tend to have lower empathy compared to people from collectivist, Eastern cultures. For example, one meta-analysis of 65 studies with over 12,000 participants found that individuals from China and Taiwan scored significantly higher on empathy measures than those from the United States.
These cultural differences apply regardless of gender. In other words, women from Asia score higher in empathy than women from North America. But within each culture, the gender gap remains, with women scoring higher than men from the same cultural background.
| Country | Women’s Empathy Score | Men’s Empathy Score |
|---|---|---|
| China | 95 | 90 |
| Japan | 91 | 85 |
| USA | 75 | 70 |
This table displays hypothetical empathy scores for men and women in different cultural contexts, with higher scores for those from Eastern, collectivistic cultures compared to the individualistic United States. But in all cases, women score higher than men from the same country.
Is the empathy gap narrowing?
As gender roles and norms change over time, is the empathy gap between men and women also narrowing? Unfortunately, research suggests the difference in empathy remains fairly stable. For example, a meta-analysis published in 2020 combined results from over 200 studies between 1990-2018 with a total of 105,000 participants. Alarmingly, the gender gap did not significantly decline over those 28 years.
On a hopeful note, while mean levels of empathy have not changed much, there is increased variation among men. In the past, social pressures may have restricted men’s emotional expression. Now, more men are comfortable reporting higher empathy, even if average levels remain lower than women’s.
Nature or nurture?
How much of the empathy gender gap is due to innate biology versus socialization and culture? Teasing apart these influences is difficult. Twin studies suggest empathy is moderately heritable, indicating some genetic component. However, children also learn gender norms about appropriate emotional expression from a young age.
Ideally, society should allow both men and women to develop their full human potential for empathy. Nurturing empathy across genders will take breaking down gender stereotypes and fostering compassion early in childhood.
Can empathy be increased?
The good news is that empathy is malleable. With effort, both men and women can enhance their empathetic abilities through practices like:
- Listening attentively and validating other’s emotions
- Having diverse friendships and reading diverse books
- Imagining yourself “walking in another’s shoes”
- Practicing mindfulness and compassion meditation
Individuals should also consider their own mental health. Depression, stress, and cognitive disconnection can reduce empathetic concern. Self-care allows greater energy to empathize with others.
Conclusion
In summary, the evidence to date suggests women on average have higher empathy compared to men, although the gap is modest. This gender difference stems from an interplay between biological factors and socialization pressures. However, empathy is not immutable. Cultivating cross-gender compassion and breaking down gender stereotypes can nurture empathy in all people, regardless of gender.