Cognitive and Affective Empathy: Exploring the Differential Effects of Empathy Components on Work-family Conflict and Emotional Labor

The present study investigates how empathy relates to the occupational health psychology topics of work-family conflict and emotional labor. Empathy has not been a focus in mainstream Industrial/Organizational research, and therefore there is some confusion surrounding the definition and impact of empathy on various outcomes. The present study examined both cognitive and affective components of empathy and their potential differential outcomes on work-family conflict and emotional labor. Results suggest that both cognitive and affective empathy may be beneficial for an individual. Implications and future research directions are discussed.