The Effect of Sexual Arousal on Male Sexual Offenders’ Empathy Process

• Main Authors: Kuo-Hung Tseng, 曾國紘
• Other Authors: Fu-Chien Hung
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/47958396071438134995

碩士 === 中原大學 === 心理學研究所 === 104 === Background: Sexual crimes cause profound damages to the victims. Empathy is a crucial inhibitor of the etiology of sex offending, and the most commonly mentioned issue in the treatment programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the distinctions of the nature of empathy and the empathic process under the effect of sexual arousal between sexual offenders and normal controls. Methods: 40 sexual offenders and 40 normal matched controls were invited to participate in the study, each group then randomly assigned into two subgroups, sexy woman puzzles or neutral landscape puzzles, to form a 2x2 design. All participants checked their mood state with a 1to10 mood scale at the beginning, before and after the puzzles, and the end of the experiment. They also completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Eyes Test twice, before and after the puzzle works. 3-Way ANOVA was employed to calculate the variations of the empathy process. Results: In summary, for the natural of empathy, sexual offenders scored higher at IRI-PT and IRI-EC, normal controls were better at IRI-FS, IRI-PD and the woman figures of Eyes test. The mood state of all participants raised after the sexy woman puzzles yet came down at the end of the experiment with debriefing works. Decline of IRI scores after both kinds of puzzle sets was found in sexual offenders as well. Conclusions: The patterns and process of empathy of sexual offenders were discussed in terms of the researching and clinical practicing implications.