Alex Imas, University of Chicago

In their shoes: Empathy through Information

Abstract

We explore the mechanics of empathy. We show that information about an outgroup can potentially activate and magnify empathy when presented in conjunction with an experience simulating their struggles. This response increases the willingness to help the struggling group, but it is only activated when the information comes before the experience and not after. We provide evidence for this effect in an immersive virtual reality experiment where participants (“witnesses”) simulate the struggle of unauthorized migrants (“protagonists”). These results are then replicated in a series of controlled lab experiments. We show that this effect operates through an increase in interpersonal similarity, or relatability. If information shifts perceptions of relatability, which changes people’s experience when witnessing the protagonist’s struggles, then it magnifies their empathetic response and drives them to engage in more prosocial behavior. Together, our evidence suggests that the ability to put oneself in the shoes of another person or group can be enhanced by activating empathy through simple information provision.

Alex Imas is the Roger L. and Rachel M. Goetz Professor of Behavioral Science, Economics and Applied AI and a Vasilou Faculty Scholar at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he has taught Negotiations and Behavioral Economics. He is a Faculty Affiliate of the Center for Applied AI and the Human Capital & Economic Opportunity, an NBER Faculty Research Associate, and a CESifo Research Network Fellow. He is also an Associate Editor at the Journal of the European Economic Association and on the editorial board of Psychological Science.

Alex Imas studies behavioral economics with a focus on cognition and mental representation in dynamic decision-making. His research explores topics related to choice under uncertainty, discrimination, and how people learn from information. Professor Imas’ work utilizes a variety of methods, including lab experiments, field experiments, analysis of observational data and theoretical modeling.

Alex Imas is the recipient of the 2023 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, the Review of Financial Studies Rising Scholar Award, the New Investigator Award from the Behavioral Science and Policy Association, the Hillel Einhorn New Investigator Award from the Society of Judgment and Decision Making, the Distinguished CESifo Affiliate Award, and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. He is an Associate Editor at the Journal of the European Economic Association and on the editorial board of Psychological Science.

You can read more about Alex Imas here

CEBI contact: Christina Gravert