@article{behler_berry_2022, title={Closing the empathy gap: A narrative review of the measurement and reduction of parochial empathy}, ISSN={["1751-9004"]}, DOI={10.1111/spc3.12701}, abstractNote={Abstract Recent research indicates that empathy‐enhancing interventions are limited in their ability to produce meaningful and lasting reductions in bias and hostility toward outgroup members. Parochial empathy—defined as preferentially higher empathy felt for ingroup over outgroup members—has been shown to be a promoter of intergroup conflict and antipathy. Our review will discuss the shortfalls of enhancing empathy for its own sake in intergroup contexts. We leverage the longstanding theory and science of multidimensional perspectives and operationalizations of general empathy, which include cognitive, affective and motivational responses to others' suffering. Thereafter we will discuss the current state of the science on measuring parochial empathy. We close by suggesting a multidimensional perspective of parochial empathy can inform interventions to promote intergroup prosociality, particularly interventions that directly and/or indirectly motivate other‐oriented empathy and concern.}, journal={SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS}, author={Behler, Anna Maria C. and Berry, Daniel R.}, year={2022}, month={Aug} }
 @article{berry_rodriguez_tasulis_behler_2022, title={Mindful Attention as a Skillful Means Toward Intergroup Prosociality}, ISSN={["1868-8535"]}, DOI={10.1007/s12671-022-01926-3}, abstractNote={Mindful attention deployment has been found to have practical benefits for a range of interpersonal outcomes including prosocial action and emotion. Recently, theory has posited that contemplative training that incorporates mindful attention may enhance intergroup compassion. Here, we conduct a selective narrative review, drawing on the Buddhist concept skillful means to ask if mindful attention deployment presents an optimal starting point for intergroup compassion and action. An interdisciplinary theoretical framework is presented, which suggests that mindful attention dismantles common intrapsychic challenges to intergroup prosociality. Empirical research is described concerning cause and effect relationships between mindfulness and several outgrowths of intergroup prosociality. Specifically, mindfulness promotes basic social cognitive processes that allow intergroup prosociality to flourish. While this research is promising, to date, the science on this topic has been limited to individual-level outgrowths of mindfulness practice. Discussion focuses on the future of mindfulness research in intergroup prosociality and calls for an integrative approach situating mindful attention deployment within social (and other) psychological interventions to enhance intergroup compassion.}, journal={MINDFULNESS}, author={Berry, Daniel R. and Rodriguez, Katie and Tasulis, Gin and Behler, Anna Maria C.}, year={2022}, month={Jun} }
 @article{behler_cairo_green_hall_2021, title={Making America Great Again? National Nostalgia's Effect on Outgroup Perceptions}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1664-1078"]}, DOI={10.3389/fpsyg.2021.555667}, abstractNote={Nostalgia is a fond longing for the past that has been shown to increase feelings of meaning, social connectedness, and self-continuity. Although nostalgia for personal memories provides intra- and interpersonal benefits, there may be negative consequences of group-based nostalgia on the perception and acceptance of others. The presented research examined national nostalgia (a form of collective nostalgia), and its effects on group identification and political attitudes in the United States. In a sample of US voters (N = 252), tendencies to feel personal and national nostalgia are associated with markedly different emotional and attitudinal profiles. Higher levels of national nostalgia predicted both positive attitudes toward President Trump and racial prejudice, though there was no evidence of such relationships with personal nostalgia. National nostalgia most strongly predicted positive attitudes toward president Trump among those high in racial prejudice. Furthermore, nostalgia's positive relationship with racial prejudice was partially mediated by perceived outgroup threat. Results from this study will help us better understand how the experience of national nostalgia can influence attitudes and motivate political behavior.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY}, author={Behler, Anna Maria C. and Cairo, Athena and Green, Jeffrey D. and Hall, Calvin}, year={2021}, month={Apr} }
 @article{coy_green_behler_2021, title={Why Can't I Resist Those "Puppy Dog" (or "Kitty Cat") Eyes? A Study of Owner Attachment and Factors Associated with Pet Obesity}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, DOI={10.3390/ani11020539}, abstractNote={Simple Summary Attachment theory has become widely used in research on human-animal interactions. However, the majority of this research has examined how individual differences in attachment affect how humans seek care and comfort from animals. The current paper examines an additional component of attachment theory—the caregiving component. Specifically, the aim of the study was to understand how individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance predict factors associated with pet obesity including pet weight, body condition, daily treats, and daily interactions. An online survey with recruitment via social media captured the responses of dog and cat owners. As expected, all of the associations between owner attachment and factors associated with pet obesity were mediated by the owner’s concerns that a pet may negatively evaluate them and the owner self-reported caregiving and attentiveness. That said, the results indicate that higher levels of attachment anxiety were associated with dog and cat owners providing a greater number of daily treats and more daily interaction, and a larger body condition for dogs. In addition, higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with dog (but not cat) owners giving fewer treats and less daily interaction. Interestingly, despite these relationships, pet weight was not associated with owner attachment. Although the effects presented in the present paper are relatively small, they are nonetheless important, as continuing to understand how differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance are related to care-giving behavior and pet obesity may provide for novel interventions that veterinarians can use to improve pet well-being and may provide avenues for future research. Abstract Attachment theory posits that patterns of interaction derived from the attachment system provide a starting point for understanding how people both receive and provide care. Extending this theory to human-animal interactions provides insights into how human psychology affects pets, such as pet obesity. The goal of this study was to determine how attachment anxiety and avoidance might contribute to pet obesity. We assessed 563 pet owners’ attachment-related anxiety and avoidance, as well as additional attachment-related constructs (emotional rejection, evaluation concern, caregiving, and attentiveness to a pet). We also assessed various factors associated with pet obesity, including weight, body condition, daily treats, and daily interaction. The results indicate that dog owners high in attachment anxiety are concerned about how their pet may evaluate them, leading to more caregiving and attentiveness that results in more treats given per day, and a larger body condition (but not weight). In addition, owners high in attachment avoidance may seek to downplay the possibility of the dog negatively evaluating them, thus providing more negligent care. These findings suggest that attachment plays a unique role in shaping the pet-caregiver relationship and influences various elements that contribute to pet obesity, particularly in dogs. As such, the findings may lend a novel perspective to strategies for reducing pet obesity and provide a framework for future research into pet health.}, number={2}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Coy, Anthony E. and Green, Jeffrey D. and Behler, Anna Maria C.}, year={2021}, month={Feb} }
 @article{behler_wall_bos_green_2020, title={To Help or To Harm? Assessing the Impact of Envy on Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviors}, volume={46}, ISSN={["1552-7433"]}, DOI={10.1177/0146167219897660}, abstractNote={ Two studies examined how envy influences prosocial and antisocial behavior. In Experiment 1, participants in an envious state (relative to a neutral state) were less helpful: They picked up fewer dropped pencils in their immediate vicinity. We expanded upon these findings by examining how envy affected both helping and harming behavior in a competitive scenario. In Experiment 2, individuals in envious or neutral states assigned puzzle tasks to another student in a prisoner’s dilemma style scenario. Prosocial and antisocial behaviors were assessed via the difficulty of the assigned puzzles (easy puzzles were considered helpful and difficult puzzles were harmful). We hypothesized that experiencing envy would result in greater motive to harm as well as greater likelihood of engaging in harmful behavior. The hypothesis was supported, suggesting that envy has detrimental ramifications that go beyond the individual and extend to interpersonal relationships. }, number={7}, journal={PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN}, author={Behler, Anna Maria C. and Wall, Catherine S. J. and Bos, Adriana and Green, Jeffrey D.}, year={2020}, month={Jul}, pages={1156–1168} }