The ironic effect of financial incentive on empathic accuracy

Two studies examined the effect of financial incentives on empathic accuracy and a possible underlying mechanism. In Study 1, participants either received a financial incentive based on performance on an empathic accuracy task (i.e., monetary reward for accurate inferences regarding the emotions experienced by videotaped targets) or not. Those in the incentive condition were less accurate than those not. Study 2 replicated this finding and tested a hypothesized mechanism—that money makes individuals view themselves in a less relational manner, thereby impairing empathy. Participants completed the Study 1 task in addition to the Twenty Statements Task (TST). “I am” responses on the TST were independently coded by two coders regarding the degree to which participants described themselves in a relational manner. Results indicated that relational self-construal mediated the link between money and decreased empathic accuracy.