Observers Sympathize More When They Momentarily Share Others’ Concerns

People’s goals, or concerns, drive the emotions they feel for themselves. But can they also drive how much they feel emotions for others? This study tested whether observers’ momentary concerns with heat and cold affected their emotions for others who were struggling to stay warm. During winter, participants read about people whose heat or water had been shut off, while they themselves were outside in the cold or indoors. Participants who were outside in the cold thought the situation was more unpleasant and felt more sympathy when they read about heat shutoffs, but not water shutoffs. The results suggest that observers’ momentary concerns affect their emotions for others with similar concerns.