The Power of Empathy: Experimental Evidence of the Impact of Perspective-Focused Interventions on Support for Prison Reform

As a result of COVID-19, individuals have experienced situations that may help them relate to others, including more limited ability to interact with their environment. Thus, this survey experiment (N = 2,229) tests whether perspective-focused interventions can help increase support for prison refor...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Harney, Jessie (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: Criminal justice policy review
Year: 2023, Volume: 34, Issue: 1, Pages: 20-42
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Perspective-taking
perspective-getting
Public Opinion
Prisons
Description
Summary:As a result of COVID-19, individuals have experienced situations that may help them relate to others, including more limited ability to interact with their environment. Thus, this survey experiment (N = 2,229) tests whether perspective-focused interventions can help increase support for prison reform. Findings suggest that perspective-getting (providing the perspective of an incarcerated individual via a narrative description of dealing with confinement) increased self-reported support for prison reform initiatives, compared with information only. In addition, a perspective-taking prompt—nudging participants to put themselves in the shoes of the incarcerated individual when reading their narrative—may help boost intention to take action in support of prison reform. Future avenues for research and implications are discussed.
ISSN:1552-3586
DOI:10.1177/08874034211061326