title: Can perspective-taking reduce crime? Examining a pathway through empathic-concern and guilt-proneness.
abstract: We describe and appraise a theoretical model in which individual differences in perspective-taking eventuate in crime reduction. Specifically, it is hypothesized that perspective-taking propensities influence the tendency to feel empathic-concern, thereby heightening proneness for guilt, which ultimately inhibits criminal behavior (perspective-taking → empathic-concern → guilt-proneness → crime desistance). Data from two sources were analyzed: (a) a cross-sectional college sample and (b) a longitudinal sample of jail inmates. Overall, results lend credence to this theoretical model: Perspective-taking propensities ultimately "put the brakes" on criminal behavior-via an emotional pathway of empathic-concern and then guilt-proneness. Discussion focuses on the nature of perspective-taking, its generative role for moral emotion and behavior, as well as potential applications for crime reduction.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Personality and Social Research, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA andres.golden.martinez@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andres G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stuewig
authors.affiliation: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
authors.forename: June P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tangney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: crime reduction; empathic-concern; guilt-proneness; perspective-taking