Sociološki Pregled (Jan 2016)
Unemployment and readiness for empathy as predictors of national identity
Abstract
In times of economic crisis and globalization trends, the question of national identity has acquired special significance. This paper examines the individual differences and demographic factors that contribute to its preservation and strengthening. This research was conducted in order to establish the role of employment status and readiness for empathy in predicting individual differences in identification with a national group. In a sample of 107 respondents (66.4% female, 69.2% the employed) aged from 21 to 62 years, we applied the following instruments: Readiness for empathy questionnaire, National identity scale and a brief socio-demographic questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis was applied to investigate the prediction structure of national identity based on the employment status, and 4 dimensions of empathy: Empathy with positive emotional states, Empathy with negative emotional states, Emotional reactions provoked by empathy, and Empathy as a social role. The final model significantly explains 15 % of the variance of national identity. Employment and Empathy with negative emotional states were singled out as predictors of national identity as well as the Emotional reactions provoked by empathy, where a higher level is associated with less distinctive national identity. The results indicate the consequences of low socio-economic status of members of a nation on the level of their national identity, indicating the personal position of individuals in a group as the main source of identification with a national group. In other words, the identification of an individual with their national group depends on the degree to which it meets their basic needs. The factor which nevertheless contributes to identification with one's own nation and compatriots, regardless of personal economic status, is the ability to empathize with negative emotional states.
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