Interpersonal Reactivity Index
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The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) is a published measurement tool for the multi-dimensional assessment of empathy. It was developed by Mark H. Davis, a professor of psychology at Eckerd College.[1]
The paper describing IRI, published in 1983,[1] has been cited over 10,000 times, according to Google Scholar.[2]
IRI is a self-report comprising 28-items answered on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "Does not describe me well" to "Describes me very well".
The four subscales[1] are:
- Perspective Taking – the tendency to spontaneously adopt the psychological point of view of others.
- Fantasy – taps respondents' tendencies to transpose themselves imaginatively into the feelings and actions of fictitious characters in books, movies, and plays.
- Empathic Concern – assesses "other-oriented" feelings of sympathy and concern for unfortunate others.
- Personal Distress – measures "self-oriented" feelings of personal anxiety and unease in tense interpersonal settings.
Example questions:
- 11. I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things look from their perspective.
- 28. Before criticizing somebody, I try to imagine how I would feel if I were in their place.