Abstract

This study examined the emotional response and social influence as correlate of empathic tendency among secondary school students in Ondo State, Nigeria. The study was a survey design and 200 secondary school students were conveniently sampled from Akoko Anglican Grammar School, Arigidi, Akoko, Okota High School, Arigidi-Akoko and Ajiroko Technical Grammar School Arigidi-Akoko. Emotional response was measured using the Trait Emotional intelligence questionnaire, Social Influence was measured using the Social Influence Questionnaire, while empathic tendency was measured using Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescents.  Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) analysis was conducted to test the relationship among the study variables. The result revealed that emotional response did not show significant relationship with empathic tendency among Secondary School Students [r (197) = -.008, p < 0.01], Social Influence had a significant relationship with empathic tendency among secondary school students at a significant level of [β = 0.331, p <0.01] influence empathic tendency among secondary school students. The joint contributions of the predictor variables were also significant [R²= 0.197, F = 11.624; p < 0.05]. The result of this study portends empirical driven conclusion that leads to the important of Social Influence in the empathic tendency among secondary school students.

Keywords: Emotional response, Social influence, Empathic tendency, Psychology