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College Kids Lacking Empathy, Study Says

May 28, 2010 RSS Feed Print

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There's a reason the moniker "Generation Me" has been attached to the new generation of young people, and a new study has some information that sheds light on how the nickname came to be.

The study, which was conducted at the University of Michigan, found that college students are less likely to understand the emotions of others than their age group's predecessors, MSNBC reports. The test group scored 40 percent lower on an empathy test than participants in the same study 20 and 30 years ago. Results are based on 72 studies of 14,000 American college students between 1979 to 2009, MSNBC says.

"We found the biggest drop in empathy after the year 2000," Sara Konrath, a researcher at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, tells MSNBC.

There are multiple theories on why college kids today lack empathy. Some blame the media (who doesn't these days?). Some blame the Internet and social media. Another one broached in this study was today's "hypercompetitive, 24-hour culture." What do you think it could be?

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As a member of the college student generation, I have no real way to gauge how people acted before, but I do see the selfishness of those around me. I can't say whether or not young people are less empathetic than older generations, but I can say that if we are, then it's because of how we were raised.
We live in a consumer society. We see bad things on the news, but TV doesn't really hit home as reality because it's easy to turn off. Even the news has commercials. Basically: it's easier not to care. It's easier to just keep buying gas and nevermind the oil spill or those who's homes were destroyed in order to obtain the oil in the first place, it's easier to keep shopping at Walmart and forget the starving people that made many of the things we buy. Why care about killing bees when being popular and talking on your cell phone is more immediately rewarding? There is more to distract us from the human situation now than ever before.
If we are less empathetic, it's because our parents raised us this way. Our grandparent's generation lived during the great depression; they were used to not having much, and worked hard to buy our parents everything they wanted. Our parents did the same and now here we are, used to having everything and not appreciating where it came from. Not to sound cliche, but that is exactly where the corporations want us: buying, buying, buying and not caring who made our goods for us or what had to die to feed us. As long as they get our money, they don't care who's body (or soul) is damaged in the process.
Luckily, there are grassroots movements within many communities in America today. They are led by those who haven't forgotten they are human.

Wilson of VA 5:03PM May 05, 2011

College is very far ahead in the process of developing empathy. Such issues are best dealt at formative age of childhood and adolescence.
In India these days, even school students lack empathy. One of the main reasons as cited by parents is the addictive nature of internet. Students spend hours on computers playing games. They just do not want to step outside and converse with people. Some of the parents even complain that their kids don't talk to them also.
Also as is mentioned in one of the comments that kids learn these things from parents. Gap is experienced there as well. Education system is not helping either. They just don't focus on developing these skills. But things are changing and hope that the pace of the change is fast enough so as not to roll out empathy-less generation.

Learning Lounge 10:21AM May 31, 2010

I found great humor in one post above that partially blames politics for the current problems among our spoiled young adults. He/she then goes on to force their politics into the comment. Perhaps a look into a mirror will reveal part of the problem you mentioned.
You also stated that the middle class has been swallowed up by debt as if "debt" is some horrible creature roaming the earth feeding on a particular economic class of people. Irresponsible behavior lead to the debt you mention. They are not victims, rather their own worst enemy.

Jake Valentine of CA 5:20PM May 30, 2010

College Kids Lacking Empathy, Study Says

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