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Passivity in the face of distant others’ suffering: an integrated model to explain behavioral (non-)response

ABSTRACT When media users are exposed to the suffering of distant others, they are often deeply moved and feel the urge to help. Yet, they tend to stay passive. Communication scholars have not produced a sufficient and succinct understanding of this gap between media-induced awareness and behavioral non-response. Our knowledge is dispersed across (a) interpretative audience reception studies on mediated distant suffering and (b) post-positivist media effects research on persuasion processes and attitude-action-gaps. By synthesizing work from both traditions, I develop an integrated model and provide an explanation for passivity despite media-induced awareness. I demonstrate how cross-fertilization between these two bodies of literature can instigate theory development within both fields. Finally, my model can catalyze future interdisciplinary research on the subject.