Exploring empathy, narcissism and technology

“I am very curious about empathy,” said Sara Konrath, associate professor of philanthropic studies and director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research. “Empathy is one of the major reasons why people want to give, help, and donate their money; all the different ways that we can care for one another.”

Konrath joined the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in 2014. She is a social psychologist whose research includes studying generosity, including how empathy and narcissism are related to it. She also explores changes over time in these topics among youth.

Konrath is originally from Ontario, Canada, and earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, then served on the faculty there. Her decision to move to Indiana was motivated by the school’s innovative research and those conducting it. “This was where the best research on generosity was happening,” said Sara. “My wonderful colleagues were involved in cutting-edge research, and they were all in this one place.”

Researching generosity and well-being

Her dissertation was on narcissism and that led to her interest in its flipside, empathy. Empathy is interesting to Konrath because it encompasses compassion and the altruistic motivations for giving, and not just in the monetary sense, but doing little things for others without even thinking about it.

“Empathy helps us to connect with one another and in our groups and families and communities—that’s what I think is ultimately interesting to me—this idea of it helping us increase our circles of generosity,” said Konrath. “I still study narcissism though, because narcissistic people also behave generously. So, it’s not all just positive and altruistic, but when we give, we often get it wrong or do things that have unintended negative consequences and I’m interested in that too.”

In her most recent research, she partnered with the Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Common Sense Media. The study, “Unpacking Grind Culture in American Teens: Pressure, Burnout, and the Role of Social Media,” surveyed teens about the specific pressures they face, how pressures are related to burnout and how teens can combat these pressures. Konrath hopes the findings lead to awareness. “I hope that parents and teachers will use this to better understand their teens and maybe start conversations with teens,” said Konrath. “Teens are overwhelmed by demands at school and then all kinds of structured activities, and they’re facing burnout.” Watch this video for more on the study.

She has applied her knowledge of empathy to her interest in technology. She believes technology can be used for good and it can be used to build empathy and more prosocial and philanthropic communities. “My colleagues and I have designed a text message program (Text2Connect) and also an app (Random App of Kindness) to increase empathy,” said Konrath. “We’ve also investigated virtual reality and its effect on empathy and giving. I’m open minded about what technology can do and I see it as a tool and like any tool: it can destroy things and it can also build things. With AI, we have an opportunity to proactively use it for good as well.”

Up next for Konrath is the 2025 World Happiness Report. “The report has been published since 2012, but this is my first year as a co-author,” said Konrath. “The topic this year is caring and sharing, so I feel grateful to be included in a group of wonderful scholars from different parts of the world.” The World Happiness Report offers insights into the wellbeing and happiness of people across the globe. “I think it will inspire conversations about what giving really means and how we express our generosity cross-culturally,” said Konrath. “It may look different in some countries, though the heart of the motivation is still similar in terms of wanting to relieve others’ suffering, bring happiness and joy to them, and make the world a better place.”

Finding joy in teaching

Teaching and mentoring students brings joy to Konrath. She says the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is different from traditional academic environments because it feels more entrepreneurial. “The students are motivating and inspiring, and they have a vision for what they see as a good life,” said Konrath. “I love learning about that vision and understanding where they’re coming from and then preparing them go into the world and do good.”

No matter the weather, you’ll find her on her bike

Students may spot Konrath on a bicycle on her commute to and from campus. “Some people find it quirky that I bike to campus year-round, often in a dress and heels.” said Konrath. “Whether the weather is raining, snowing, or unnaturally hot, I’m still on my bike. It’s amusing to see the reactions to that, though I’m not the only School of Philanthropy member who does this.” (Laurie Paarlberg and Curtis Kester also regularly commute by bike.) She says besides the obvious physical health benefits, biking is good for her mental health, giving her time to relax before and after work. “I enjoy the beautiful setting, with all the trees or the canal, when I take that route,” said Konrath. “Indianapolis has amazing bicycle infrastructure that keeps improving, so I feel really lucky to live in a place where I can enjoy this lifestyle.”