Empathy and propensity for risk taking among women and men in 'heroic' occupations

This study investigated the applicability of Becker and Eagly's (2004) model of heroism to individuals in rescue occupations. This model asserted that heroic individuals possess both high empathy and a propensity to take physical risks, and defined heroism as taking "risks on behalf of one or more other people, despite the possibility of dying or suffering serious physical consequences from these actions" (p. 164). In the present study, the variables of empathic concern, perspective taking, and propensity to take recreational, health/safety, and prosocial risks were assessed among women and men in rescue occupations (firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, and career lifeguards) compared to those in non-rescue occupations. Both gender differences and occupational group differences were assessed. This study found partial support for the heroism model as applied to rescue occupations. The results revealed that high propensity to take recreational and prosocial risks distinguished individuals in rescue occupations from those in non-rescue occupations. Physical risk taking also distinguished the men from women in the sample. Empathic concern could distinguish women from men but there were no differences between occupational groups. There were no differences between women and men or occupational groups for perspective taking. The results suggest that physical risk taking propensity is more associated with rescue occupations than is empathy. Limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications are discussed.