The present laboratory-based study investigated socioeconomic status (SES) as a moderator of the association between empathic accuracy and well-being among married couples from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Empathic accuracy was measured using a performance-based measure of empathic accuracy for one’s spouse’s negative emotions during a marital conflict conversation. Aspects of well-being included well-being (i.e., positive affect, life satisfaction), ill-being (i.e., negative affect, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms), and marital satisfaction. SES was measured using a composite score of income and education. Findings showed that SES moderated associations between empathic accuracy and well-being. Empathic accuracy was beneficial (for well-being and ill-being) or not harmful (for marital satisfaction) at low levels of SES. In contrast, empathic accuracy was not beneficial (for well-being and ill-being) or harmful (for marital satisfaction) at high levels of SES. Results were robust (controlled for age, gender, and race). Findings are discussed in light of interdependence vs. independence in low- vs. high-SES contexts and highlight the importance of socioeconomic context in determining whether empathic accuracy benefits well-being or not.

这项以实验室为基础的研究调查了社会经济状况（SES），作为协调移情准确度与来自不同社会经济背景的已婚夫妇幸福感之间关系的调节器。移情准确度是通过使用基于性能的移情准确度来衡量配偶在婚姻冲突期间的负面情绪。幸福的方面包括幸福（即正面影响，生活满意度），不适（即负面影响，焦虑症状，抑郁症状）和婚姻满意度。SES是使用收入和教育水平的综合得分来衡量的。研究结果表明，SES调节了移情准确性和幸福感之间的关联。在低水平的SES中，共情的准确性是有益的（对幸福和不适）或无害的（对婚姻满意度）。相比之下，在高水平的SES中，共情的准确度既无益（有益于健康和疾病），也无益（有益于婚姻满意度）。结果是有力的（控制了年龄，性别和种族）。在低SES情景和高SES情景中根据相互依赖性与独立性对结果进行了讨论，并强调了社会经济环境在确定移情准确性是否有益于幸福方面的重要性。