Male and female empathy across 24 countries and 60 latitudinal degrees

Females tend to score higher than males in the cognitive and emotional components of empathy. Similar to how temperature correlates positively with aggression, national sex differences in self-reported empathy could vary with latitude (i.e., distance from the Equator). Leveraging data from 24 primarily global-north countries ( n = 101,137; 39,906 females), we examined whether perspective taking and empathic concern were associated with the distance from the Equator beyond individualism/collectivism and power distance. Across countries, sex differences in perspective taking (mean d = 0.28) were smaller than in empathic concern (mean d = 0.65). Sex differences in both measures of empathy were positively associated with the distance from the Equator, such that sex differences were smaller at lower latitudes and larger at higher latitudes. This association was larger for perspective taking ( R 2 = 0.48) than for empathic concern ( R 2 = 0.28). Moreover, individualism/collectivism associated positively with sex differences in empathic concern ( R 2 = 0.35). Apart from social and biological factors, geographical location may play a role in shaping national variation in sex differences in empathy. • National sex differences in self-reported empathy could vary accordingly with latitude. • Sex differences in empathy were positively associated with the distance from the Equator. • Geographical location may play a role in shaping sex differences in national measures of empathy.