Exploring the Relationship between Obedience to Authority and Aspects of Empathy among Working Professionals

Abstract

The study assessed the relationship between obedience to authority and various dimensions of empathy among working professionals belonging to banking, HR, and teaching professions. The study also sought to determine if the working professionals with high obedience to authority differ from those with low obedience to authority on the various dimensions of empathy. The sample comprised 120 professionals who were working full-time, with 40 individuals representing the banking, HR, and teaching professions each. Tools used included the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1983) and a self-constructed questionnaire for assessing the empathy dimensions and obedience to authority, respectively. The ANOVA results indicate that there was no significant difference in terms of obedience to authority and empathy, based on the profession of the individuals. The independent samples t-test results showed that those who were high in obedience to authority scored more in personal distress compared to those low in obedience to authority. The findings using Pearson’s correlation method also indicate a weak but significant positive relationship between obedience to authority and some dimensions of empathy.