Impact of working memory deficit on emotional empathy

Abstract

Impact of working memory deficit on emotional empathy is the research question which was addressed in the study.The uniqueness of the study was the non- intrusive investigation of whether the relationship between scores on working memory sub-tests ,which is taken from Wechsler memory scale and scores on Balanced Emotional Empathy scale have a relationship between them. 80 participants were recruited and all of them were assessed by the digit span subtest, spatial span sub - tests and Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES). The participants were divided in two groups: the control group and the experimental group. The control group consisted of participants with no working memory deficit. The experimental group consisted of participants with working memory deficits.Equal number of male and female participants were recruited with age variance 25-64 years. Knowledge on English language and absence of perceptive and motor impairments were essential for taking part in the study. Equal numbers of male and female participants were recruited, due to the fact that different Emotional Empathy norms are attributed to the two genders. The experimental and the control groups were further divided into 5 sub groups according to age due to age difference in scoring norms on Weschler`s memory scale. The general age range of participants was from 25-64 years of age. The Kilmogorov-Smirnof test was used to analyze the distribution of the data gathered. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the scores obtained on the digit span and on BEES as well as on the spatial span and on BEES. Kruskal- Wallis test was used to compare digit span scores, spatial span scores and balanced emotional scale scores with different groups. The different groups After statistically analyzing the data, it was concluded that it had abnormal distrubution. A statistically significant relationship wuth a positive correlation was deduced between the scores on working memory sub-tests and scores on Balanced Emotional Empath Scale. Those relationships varied by gender as this relationship was found to be stronger and more significant in males due and did not apply to every age group. Those results can contribute to the discipline of psychology especially in the following areas: neuropsychology, health psychology and evolutionary psychology.