Sara H. Konrath
Sara Konrath is a social psychologist who directs the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research (iPEARlab.org) at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Her research explores changes over time in social and emotional traits among American young people.
Other research examines implications of these traits for individuals themselves and for other people. For example, she has published extensively on the health and happiness benefits of giving. She also creates and evaluates empathy-training programs for various groups, including young people, teachers, doctors, museums, and other organizations.
Dr. Konrath writes a popular Psychology Today blog (The Empathy Gap) and is regularly featured in media outlets, including the New York Times, Time Magazine, NPR radio, and BBC news. Her forthcoming book is called Culture of Burnout: American life in an age of increasing expectations (Oxford University Press). She is currently a Visiting Professor at the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study (2020-2021).
Primary Interests:
- Aggression, Conflict, Peace
- Emotion, Mood, Affect
- Health Psychology
- Helping, Prosocial Behavior
- Personality, Individual Differences
- Political Psychology
- Self and Identity
- Social Cognition
Research Group or Laboratory:
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Image Gallery
Video Gallery
Motives Matter: Why We Volunteer Affects Our Longevity
Select video to watch
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2:05 Motives Matter: Why We Volunteer Affects Our Longevity
Length: 2:05
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45:35 The Decline of Empathy and the Rise in Narcissism
Length: 45:35
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56:53 "In Character" Interview
Length: 56:53
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1:00:20 The Effects of Giving on Givers
Length: 1:00:20
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19:31 "Getting to Know" Interview
Length: 19:31
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11:01 Evidence-Based Fundraising
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First Day Podcast From The Fund Raising School
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1:28:01 The Good and Dark Sides of Empathy in the Digital Age
Length: 1:28:01
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1:47:43 How to Build a Culture of Empathy
Length: 1:47:43
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7:44 The Joy of Giving
Length: 7:44
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47:39 Virtual Empathy? The Science of Digital Kindness and Connection
Length: 47:39
Journal Articles:
- Chandler, J., Konrath, S., & Schwarz, N. (2009). Online and on my mind: Temporary and chronic accessibility moderate the influence of media figures. Media Psychology, 12, 210-226.
- Grynberg D., & Konrath S. (2020). The closer you feel, the more you care: Positive associations between closeness, pain intensity rating, empathic concern and personal distress to someone in pain. Acta Psychologica, 210, 103175.
- Konrath, S., Bushman, B., & Campbell, W. K. (2006). Attenuating the link between threatened egotism and aggression. Psychological Science, 17(11), 995-1001.
- Konrath, S., Bushman, B., & Grove, T. (2009). Seeing my world in a million little pieces: Narcissism, self-construal, and cognitive-perceptual style. Journal of Personality, 77(4), 1197-1228.
- Konrath, S. H., & Schwarz, N. (2007). Do male politicians have big heads? Face-ism in online self-representations of politicians. Media Psychology, 10(3), 436-448.
- Konrath, S., Han, X., Kou, X., Osili, U., & Adeyeri, I. (2025). Prosocial behaviors during adolescence predict economic outcomes in young adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 13(4), 1027-1046.
- Konrath, S., Handy, F., Wright, S., Griffith, K. A., & Jagsi, R. (2023). How individuals’ health and wealth are associated with their donation behavior and motivations. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 36(4), 493-516.
- Konrath, S., James, C., Weinstein, E., & Tench, B. (2025). Development and validation of the Tech With Care Index for teens. Psychology of Popular Media, 14(4), 507-520.
- Konrath, S., Martingano, A. J., Davis, M., & Breithaupt, F. (2023). Empathy trends in American youth between 1979 and 2018: An update. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 16(3), 252-265.
- Konrath, S., Martingano, A. J., Tolman, R. M., Winslow, M., & Bushman, B. J. (2024). Random app of kindness: Evaluating the potential of a smartphone intervention to impact adolescents’ empathy, prosocial behavior, and aggression. Psychology of Popular Media, 13(3), 338-352.
- Konrath, S., Meier, B. P., & Bushman, B. J. (2014). Development and validation of the Single Item Narcissism Scale (SINS). PLoS ONE 9(8): e103469.
- Konrath, S., O'Brien, E., & Hsing, C. (2011). Changes in dispositional empathy in American college students over time: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 15(2), 180-198.
- Rutchick, A. M., Smyth, J. M., & Konrath, S. (2009). Seeing red (and blue): Effects of electoral college depictions on political group perception. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (ASAP), 9(1), 269-282.
- Schuldt, J. P., Konrath, S. H., & Schwarz, N. (2012). The right angle: Visual portrayal of products affects observers' impressions of owners. Psychology & Marketing, 29(10), 705-711.
- Sripada, C., & Konrath, S. (2011). Telling more than we can know about intentional action. Mind & Language, 26(3), 353-380.
- Twenge, J., Konrath, S., Campbell, W. K., Foster, J., & Bushman, B. J. (2008). Egos inflating over time: A cross-temporal meta-analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Journal of Personality, 76(4), 875-902.
- Twenge, J. M., Konrath, S., Foster, J. D., Campbell, W. K., & Bushman, B. J. (2008). Further evidence of an increase in narcissism among college students. Journal of Personality, 76(4), 919-928.
- Weidmann, R., Chopik, W. J., Ackerman, R. A., Allroggen, M., Bianchi, E. C., Brecheen, C., Campbell, W. K., Gerlach, T. M., Geukes, K., Grijalva, E., Grossmann, I., Hopwood, C. J., Hutteman, R., Konrath, S., Küfner, A. C. P., Leckelt, M., Miller, J. D., Penke, L., Pincus, A. L., ... Back, M. D. (2023). Age and gender differences in narcissism: A comprehensive study across eight measures and over 250,000 participants. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 124(6), 1277-1298.
- Yang, Y., & Konrath, S. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between economic inequality and prosocial behaviour. Nature Human Behaviour, 7, 1899-1916.
Other Publications:
Courses Taught:
- Altruism and Health
- Arts, Humanities, and Philanthropy
- Civic Engagement and Philanthropy
- Hormones and Behavior
- Introduction to Psychology
- Political Psychology
- Psychology of Giving
- Quantitative Behavioral Research Methods
- Social Psychology / Behavioral Experiments
Sara H. Konrath
Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
University Hall, Suite 3000
301 University Boulevard
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
United States of America
- Phone: (317) 278-8971
