Building on previous research by Tamborini, Stiff, and Heidel and by Tamborini and Mettler, an experiment was designed to investigate differences in comforting behavior that are associated with dimensions of empathy and exposure to film. Several weeks prior to viewing a positively or negatively charged film, subjects completed a questionnaire measuring characteristics of fictional involvement, empathic concern, and emotional contagion. Following exposure to one of the two films, comforting behavior in response to a distressed confederate was recorded. Regression analyses suggested that fictional involvement and empathic concern were important predictors of comforting behavior. In addition, after accounting for the influence of these dimensions of empathy, film condition explained further differences in comforting behaviors. Moreover, the study extended research in the area of emotional response by including an overt measure of communication behavior.
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