Interpersonal Reactivity Index - IRI

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 28, 2016

Last Modified: January 05, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements a computerized version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) as described in David (1979, 1983).

References

Davis, M.H. (1979). INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN EMPATHY: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH. Dissertation (Scales published on p. 52).

Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 113– 126.

Paper And Pencil Questionnaire:
https://fetzer.org/sites/default/files/images/stories/pdf/selfmeasures/EMPATHY-InterpersonalReactivityIndex.pdf

Duration

28 5-point

Summary Data

File Name: iri_summary.iqdat' (Inquisit Lab: one data file per participant)

Data Fields

NameDescription
inquisit.version Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
computer.touch 0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities
computer.hasKeyboard 0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected
startDate Date the session was run
startTime Time the session was run
subjectId Participant ID
groupId Group number
sessionId Session number
elapsedTime Session duration in ms
completed 0 = Test was not completed
1 = Test was completed
Subscales (Range: 0-28 On Each Scale)
perspectiveTaking 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
empathicConcern Assesses "other-oriented" feelings of sympathy and concern for unfortunate others
personalDistress Measures "self-oriented" feelings of personal anxiety and unease in tense interpersonal settings

Raw Data

File Name: iri.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
date Date the session was run
time Time the session was run
subject Participant ID
group Group number
session Session number
build Inquisit version number
q*_response Response given (in assigned values)
Scale: 0 (does not describe me well) - 4 (describes me well)
R = automatically reversed scored questions
q*_latency How much time (in ms) the participant spent on the surveyPage with this particular
question (the last time this particular surveyPage was visited)