Effects of a letter-writing task on empathy toward Japanese-Brazilians as out-group members: An educational method for intercultural understanding in universities and colleges
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The present study explores the effectiveness of essay reading and a letter-writing task for enhancing empathy toward Japanese-Brazilians as out-group members—specifically Japanese-Brazilians living in Japan who have lost their jobs due to recession. The goal of the study was to obtain insights and implications that can be applied to intercultural education in universities and colleges. One hundred and sixty-eight Japanese university students participated in the study. The results reveal that university students who performed the letter-writing task showed greater empathy enhancement than those who performed a control task. It was further found that the empathy enhancement effect did not decrease very much after one week had passed. As a perspective-taking task for enhancing empathy toward Japanese-Brazilians as out-group members, the letter-writing task is expected to be effective if utilized in intercultural education.
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An RCT in Japan showed that it was possible to get Japanese university students to increase their empathy toward a stigmatized outgroup (Japanese-Brazilians residing in Japan who had lost their jobs because of an economic recession).
“Similarly, an RCT in Japan showed that it was possible to get Japanese university students to increase their empathy toward a stigmatized outgroup (Japanese-Brazilians residing in Japan who had lost their jobs because of an economic recession) [135].”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [135]
Empathy levels were still elevated a week later.
“Empathy levels were still elevated a week later.”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [135]
Increases in empathy were much larger among persons who read the emotional essay and wrote a letter than in any of the other combinations of conditions.
“The study also found that increases in empathy were much larger among persons who read the emotional essay and wrote a letter than in any of the other combinations of conditions.”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [135]
In that study, the emotional essay increased feelings of anger about the problems faced by Japanese-Brazilians and sadness about their distress.
“The study found that the emotional essay increased feelings of anger about the problems faced by Japanese-Brazilians and sadness about their distress.”
From Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action (2019) · cites this paper as [135]
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Reducing Racial Inequities in Health: Using What We Already Know to Take Action
Williams, D. R., & Cooper, L. A. (2019) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph16040606 · Cited by 415 · see citing works
- Authors
- NUMATA, J.
- Affiliations
- Doshisha University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- NUMATA, Jun
- Venue
- PSYCHOLOGIA
- Publisher
- Psychologia Society
- Published
- 2013
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 45-56
- ISSN
- 0033-2852 (ISSN-L)
- 1347-5916
- OpenAlex
- W2052058204
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2023: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 2.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- PSYCHOLOGIA (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Communication › International Student and Expatriate Challenges
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Empathy and Medical Education
- Keywords
- empathy, Japanese Brazilians, outgroup members, intercultural education, perspective taking, essay reading, university students, job loss, economic recession
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