Empathy and expectations of others' willingness to help

Researchers have linked trait empathy to an individual's willingness to help others. We examine whether trait empathy also predicts people's expectations that others will help them. We posit that highly empathic people are more attuned to the emotional drivers of others' prosocial behavior—an intrinsic desire to help and the discomfort of refusing a help request. Such insight should make empathic people more optimistic that their own requests...