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Basic Empathy Scale
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About Basic Empathy Scale
Scale Name
Basic Empathy Scale
Author Details
Darrick Jolliffe and David P. Farrington
Translation Availability
Not Sure
Background/Description
Empathy is a crucial component of social interaction, allowing us to understand and respond to the emotions of others. Researchers have identified two key aspects of empathy: cognitive and affective. Cognitive empathy involves understanding another’s perspective, while affective empathy involves sharing and responding to their emotions.
Prior to the BES, many empathy scales focused on just one aspect or lacked strong validation. Recognizing this need, Jolliffe and Farrington (2006) aimed to develop a comprehensive measure. Their work built on the definition of empathy proposed by Cohen and Strayer (1996), which emphasizes understanding and sharing another person’s emotional state.
This desire to capture both cognitive and affective components led to the creation of the Basic Empathy Scale (BES).
The BES is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess a person’s overall level of empathy. It consists of 20 statements about how a person responds to the emotions of others. These statements tap into both cognitive (“I can see things from other people’s points of view”) and affective (“I find it hard to watch someone else suffer”) aspects of empathy.
Participants respond to each statement on a Likert scale, typically ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” The scores are then summed to provide a total empathy score. Additionally, researchers can calculate separate sub scores for cognitive and affective empathy based on the specific items the participant responded to.
The BES has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of empathy in adolescents. Research suggests it can effectively differentiate between individuals with varying levels of empathy. The ease of administration and scoring make it a valuable tool for researchers studying empathy in various contexts.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Ensure you have enough copies of the BES for your participants.
- If required by your research protocol, prepare an informed consent form explaining the purpose of the study, how the data will be used, and participants’ rights.
- Briefly introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the study.
- If using informed consent, obtain participants’ consent before proceeding.
- Distribute the BES questionnaires and pens/pencils.
- Instruct participants to read each statement carefully and indicate their level of agreement using the provided scale (e.g., Likert scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”).
- Emphasize the importance of answering honestly and to the best of their ability.
- Briefly answer any questions participants may have about the scale or the task.
Reliability and Validity
The Basic Empathy Scale (BES) has been shown to possess good reliability and validity in various studies. Here’s a breakdown of these aspects:
- Internal Consistency: Jolliffe and Farrington (2006) reported Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.85 for the BES subscales (cognitive and affective empathy) and 0.66 for the whole scale. These values indicate good internal consistency, meaning the items within each subscale measure a similar underlying construct (empathy).
- Test-Retest Reliability: Although not explicitly mentioned in the original paper, some studies have shown good test-retest reliability for the BES, indicating participants’ scores remain stable over time [e.g., The basic empathy scale: A French validation of a measure of empathy in youth, Personality and Individual Differences, 2009].
- Content Validity: The BES items directly relate to the definition of empathy, encompassing both cognitive (“I can see things from other people’s points of view”) and affective (“I find it hard to watch someone else suffer”) aspects. This suggests the scale measures what it intends to.
- Construct Validity: Studies have supported the BES’s two-factor structure (cognitive and affective empathy) through confirmatory factor analysis [e.g., Development and Validation of the Basic Empathy Scale, Journal of Adolescence, 2006]. This indicates the scale captures the intended dimensions of empathy.
- Convergent Validity: BES scores have shown positive correlations with other measures of empathy and related personality traits like agreeableness and openness [e.g., Development and Validation of the Basic Empathy Scale, Journal of Adolescence, 2006]. This suggests the BES aligns with other measures of similar constructs.
Available Versions
20-Items
Reference
Jolliffe, D., & Farrington, D. P. (2006). Development and validation of the Basic Empathy Scale. Journal of adolescence, 29(4), 589–611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2005.08.010
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BES?
The BES is a self-report questionnaire that measures empathy.
What does it measure?
It measures two aspects of empathy: cognitive (understanding others) and affective (sharing emotions).
How is it administered?
Participants read statements and rate their agreement on a scale (e.g., disagree-agree).
How long does it take?
Typically under 10 minutes.
Is it reliable?
Yes, it shows good internal consistency (items measure similar things).
Is it valid?
Yes, it measures what it intends to (empathy) and aligns with other empathy measures.
Who developed it?
Jolliffe and Farrington (2006).
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