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Popularity, but Not Likability, as a Risk Factor for Low Empathy: A Longitudinal Examination of Within- and Between-Person Effects of Peer Status and Empathy in Adolescence

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Title: Popularity, but Not Likability, as a Risk Factor for Low Empathy: A Longitudinal Examination of Within- and Between-Person Effects of Peer Status and Empathy in Adolescence
Language: English
Authors: Nathan H. Field (ORCID 0000-0003-0675-6063), Emma Balkind, Kaitlyn Burnell, Kara A. Fox, Mallory J. Feldman, Elizabeth A. Nick, Eva H. Telzer, Kristen A. Lindquist, Mitchell J. Prinstein (ORCID 0000-0002-7587-8665)
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2025 61(9):1684-1697.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
Contract Number: 1R01DA05112701A1
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Grade 7
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Grade 8
Grade 9
High Schools
Grade 10
Descriptors: Peer Acceptance, Empathy, Adolescents, Perspective Taking, Adolescent Development, Emotional Development, Social Status, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001914
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: This study examined reciprocal relations between two dimensions of peer status, likability and popularity, and two dimensions of empathy, empathic concern and perspective taking, across adolescence. A school-based sample of 893 (M[subscript age] = 12.60, SD = 0.62) sixth- (n = 491; 55% female) and seventh-grade (n = 402; 45% female) adolescents from three, rural, lower middle-class schools in the southeastern United States completed self-report and peer-report questionnaires annually at four timepoints. Two trivariate latent curve models with structured residuals were fit. The first model examined within- and between-person associations between popularity, likability, and empathic concern, whereas the second model examined these associations with perspective taking. Results revealed no between-person relations among the latent factors for popularity and empathic concern or perspective taking. Conversely, the latent intercept for likability was positively related to the latent intercept for each of the empathic dimensions. Within-person cross-lagged effects from Grades 6 to 10 revealed that increases in popularity were associated with later decreases in empathic concern, while increases in empathic concern were associated with later decreases in popularity. Within-person changes in popularity did not predict later changes in perspective taking, but increases in perspective taking were associated with decreases in popularity. There were positive, albeit few, predictive associations with changes in likability. Results elucidate key differences in popularity and likability as dimensions of peer status; popular youth may benefit from the flexible use of empathic processes, while likable youth exhibit a stable, enduring propensity for empathic processes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502743
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Popularity, but Not Likability, as a Risk Factor for Low Empathy: A Longitudinal Examination of Within- and Between-Person Effects of Peer Status and Empathy in Adolescence
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nathan+H%2E+Field%22">Nathan H. Field</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0675-6063">0000-0003-0675-6063</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emma+Balkind%22">Emma Balkind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kaitlyn+Burnell%22">Kaitlyn Burnell</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kara+A%2E+Fox%22">Kara A. Fox</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mallory+J%2E+Feldman%22">Mallory J. Feldman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elizabeth+A%2E+Nick%22">Elizabeth A. Nick</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eva+H%2E+Telzer%22">Eva H. Telzer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kristen+A%2E+Lindquist%22">Kristen A. Lindquist</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mitchell+J%2E+Prinstein%22">Mitchell J. Prinstein</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7587-8665">0000-0002-7587-8665</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 61(9):1684-1697.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
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  Group: Src
  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
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  Data: 1R01DA05112701A1
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  Label: Document Type
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Acceptance%22">Peer Acceptance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Perspective+Taking%22">Perspective Taking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescent+Development%22">Adolescent Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Development%22">Emotional Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Status%22">Social Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1037/dev0001914
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0012-1649<br />1939-0599
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study examined reciprocal relations between two dimensions of peer status, likability and popularity, and two dimensions of empathy, empathic concern and perspective taking, across adolescence. A school-based sample of 893 (M[subscript age] = 12.60, SD = 0.62) sixth- (n = 491; 55% female) and seventh-grade (n = 402; 45% female) adolescents from three, rural, lower middle-class schools in the southeastern United States completed self-report and peer-report questionnaires annually at four timepoints. Two trivariate latent curve models with structured residuals were fit. The first model examined within- and between-person associations between popularity, likability, and empathic concern, whereas the second model examined these associations with perspective taking. Results revealed no between-person relations among the latent factors for popularity and empathic concern or perspective taking. Conversely, the latent intercept for likability was positively related to the latent intercept for each of the empathic dimensions. Within-person cross-lagged effects from Grades 6 to 10 revealed that increases in popularity were associated with later decreases in empathic concern, while increases in empathic concern were associated with later decreases in popularity. Within-person changes in popularity did not predict later changes in perspective taking, but increases in perspective taking were associated with decreases in popularity. There were positive, albeit few, predictive associations with changes in likability. Results elucidate key differences in popularity and likability as dimensions of peer status; popular youth may benefit from the flexible use of empathic processes, while likable youth exhibit a stable, enduring propensity for empathic processes.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1502743
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1502743
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1037/dev0001914
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 1684
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Peer Acceptance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empathy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Perspective Taking
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      – SubjectFull: Adolescent Development
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      – SubjectFull: Social Status
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 9
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 10
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