The role of empathy and efficacy in public service announcements: Using narratives to induce bystander intervention in domestic violence

This research explores the understudied relationship between two crucial variables—empathy elicited by narratives and the degree of efficacy possessed by bystanders—by using narratives in public service announcements.
Kim and Muralidharan

MANAGEMENT SLANT

  • Narrative messages are more effective than nonnarrative messages.
  • Empathy-laden narrative messages produce more positive public service announcement evaluations and stronger intentions to call the helpline.
  • The positive effect of narratives on empathy is enhanced when participants’ issue involvement is high.
  • Empathy is not enough, however, so it is crucial for bystanders to possess self-efficacy—prosocial beliefs that denounce domestic violence and drive bystanders’ capability to help abused individuals.

INTRODUCTION

Domestic violence does...

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