Process / pipelineSocial cognition

Interpersonal Reactivity Index

The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) is a 28-item self-report measure developed by Mark H. Davis in 1980 to assess individual differences in empathy as a multidimensional construct. Rather than treating empathy as a single trait, the IRI measures four distinct empathic dimensions: perspective-taking, fantasy, empathic concern, and personal distress. It has become the most widely used multidimensional empathy measure in psychological and social science research.

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Sources

  1. Davis, M. H. (1980). A multidimensional approach to individual differences in empathy. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 10, 85. link
  2. Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(1), 113–126. DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.44.1.113

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Referenced by

ScholarGateInterpersonal Reactivity Index (Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/social-psychology/interpersonal-reactivity-index