Empathy Through Adversity: Understanding the Impact of Social Pain on Homosexual Individuals' Empathy for Ingroup and Outgroup by Gender

This study examines the impact of social pain on empathy among homosexual individuals, focusing on ingroup-outgroup preferences and gender differences. Study 1 explored associations between social pain—measured via social exclusion, social anxiety, and experiential avoidance—and trait empathy in homosexual males and females. Results indicated that males’ trait empathy correlated positively with social anxiety and experiential avoidance, but not with social exclusion, whereas no significant associations were found for females. Study 2 employed a 2×2 mixed-design Cyberball experiment to assess state empathy toward ingroup and outgroup members. Findings revealed that males experiencing social pain demonstrated higher state empathy than those without such experiences; this effect was absent in females. Regardless of condition, both genders showed comparable empathy toward ingroup and outgroup members. These results highlight the resilience of homosexual individuals in maintaining empathy despite social adversity and provide insights into the interplay between social pain, gender, and empathy within sexual minority populations.