University of Twente Student Theses
Understanding the Role of Empathy in Offenders' Willingness to Participate in Victim-Offender Mediation
Saliy, Katerina (2024) Understanding the Role of Empathy in Offenders' Willingness to Participate in Victim-Offender Mediation.
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| Abstract: | This study investigates how dispositional and situational empathy influence offenders' willingness to participate in Victim-Offender Mediation (VOM). Using a mixed-methods approach, the study employed a controlled experimental design manipulating perspective-taking as a situational empathy inducer, alongside measuring dispositional empathy. Participants (N = 70) from different backgrounds were randomly assigned to either a perspective-taking or an objective condition. Results indicate that higher levels of dispositional empathy are positively correlated with greater willingness to participate in VOM, supporting previous research. Furthermore, participants exposed to perspective manipulation demonstrated significantly higher willingness compared to those in the objective condition, which highlights the potential role of situational empathy in offenders’ openness to participate in VOM. Qualitative analysis revealed several motivations of participants' decisions, emphasizing communication, responsibility-taking, and belief in mediation efficacy. Nevertheless, limitations such as sample size and cultural diversity indicate the need for cautious interpretation and future research improvements. This study contributes to restorative justice literature by clarification of empathy's dual role and by suggesting practical implications for mediation practices and policy development. Keywords: dispositional empathy, situational empathy, perspective-taking, Victim-Offender Mediation (VOM), restorative justice, willingness to participate |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/100693 |
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