⚠ Educational Use Only — The IRI is a self-report research tool for educational purposes. It does not provide a clinical assessment or diagnosis. Please consult a qualified professional if you have concerns about empathy-related difficulties.
28Items
4Subscales
0–28Per subscale
FreeNo Sign-up

Free Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) Online — Davis Empathy Test

The IRI is a validated 28-item questionnaire developed by Mark H. Davis (1983) to measure dispositional empathy across 4 distinct subscales. Davis's paper has been cited over 10,000 times in academic literature. Takes ~6 minutes. Automatic reverse-scoring, instant 4-subscale radar chart, and free printable PDF included.

Free printable PDF — all 4 subscale scores with chart, no account needed.
Cognitive EmpathyPerspective Taking (PT)Tendency to adopt others' psychological point of view in everyday life
Cognitive EmpathyFantasy (FS)Tendency to imaginatively transpose into fictional characters (books, films)
Affective EmpathyEmpathic Concern (EC)Other-oriented feelings of sympathy and compassion for unfortunate others
Affective EmpathyPersonal Distress (PD)Self-oriented anxiety and unease in response to others' negative experiences
SubscaleNormative mean (college sample)Score range
PT Perspective TakingM = 16.0 (Davis, 1983)0–28
FS FantasyM = 14.5 (Davis, 1983)0–28
EC Empathic ConcernM = 18.2 (Davis, 1983)0–28
PD Personal DistressM = 12.2 (Davis, 1983)0–28
Item 1 of 28 Auto-saved
0Does not describe me well
1 
2Somewhat
3 
4Describes me very well
Perspective Taking

Item text...

Neuroviax Academy — IRI Empathy Profile
neuroviaxacademy.com/tools/interpersonal-reactivity-index-iri-empathy-test.html
—out of 28Perspective TakingCognitive Empathy
—out of 28FantasyCognitive Empathy
—out of 28Empathic ConcernAffective Empathy
—out of 28Personal DistressAffective Empathy

Subscale Breakdown

Normative context (Davis, 1983 — college samples): PT M=16.0  |  FS M=14.5  |  EC M=18.2  |  PD M=12.2. Your scores above or below these means indicate higher or lower expression of each empathy dimension relative to Davis's original sample. No official cut-off scores exist.

 Academic Citations

Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(1), 113-126. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.44.1.113 Davis, M. H. (1980). A multidimensional approach to individual differences in empathy. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 10, 85.

How to Use This Free IRI Empathy Test

Step 01

Answer 28 items

Rate each statement 0–4 (Does not describe me well → Describes me very well) based on how you generally feel — not just in specific situations. The subscale for each item is shown.

Step 02

Automatic scoring

9 items are reverse-scored automatically (items 3, 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19). Formula: 4 minus original response. You don't need to do anything — just answer honestly.

Step 03

Get 4 subscale scores

Results show all 4 subscale scores (0–28) in a radar chart with normative context from Davis's (1983) original college sample means (PT=16.0, FS=14.5, EC=18.2, PD=12.2).

Step 04

Export free PDF

Save your complete IRI empathy profile — all 4 subscale scores with radar chart, interpretations, and citations — as a formatted PDF.

Cognitive vs affective empathy: The IRI measures two broad types. Cognitive empathy (PT + FS) involves mentally representing another's perspective. Affective empathy (EC + PD) involves actually being moved by another's emotional state. High Empathic Concern (EC) with moderate Personal Distress (PD) is generally associated with effective helping behavior. High PD alone can indicate empathic overwhelm — absorbing others' distress as your own anxiety rather than compassionate concern.
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Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI): Empathy Subscales, Scoring & Davis's 4-Dimension Model

The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) was developed by Mark H. Davis and published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1983). Davis's paper has been cited over 10,000 times, making the IRI the most widely cited multidimensional empathy measure in psychology. Unlike single-score empathy measures, the IRI distinguishes four separate but related empathy constructs, allowing researchers to study the different components of empathic responding independently.

The 4 IRI Subscales: Cognitive and Affective Empathy

Davis proposed that empathy is not a single construct but a family of related abilities. The Perspective Taking (PT) subscale measures the deliberate tendency to adopt others' psychological viewpoints — the conscious effort to see situations through another person's eyes. The Fantasy (FS) subscale measures imaginative transportation into fictional characters in books, films, and plays. Both PT and FS are considered cognitive empathy: they involve mental representation of another's perspective without necessarily sharing their emotional state. The Empathic Concern (EC) subscale measures other-oriented feelings of sympathy and compassion for unfortunate others. The Personal Distress (PD) subscale measures self-oriented anxiety in response to others' negative experiences. EC and PD are considered affective empathy: they involve actual emotional responses to others' states.

IRI Reverse Scoring: Which Items and Why

Nine of the 28 IRI items are negatively worded and require reverse scoring before summing. In 1-based item numbering, these are items 3, 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, and 19. Reverse scoring formula: 4 minus original response. For example, item 3 ("I sometimes find it difficult to see things from the other guy's point of view") measures low Perspective Taking — disagreeing strongly (0) indicates high PT and is reverse-scored to 4. This tool handles all reverse scoring automatically.

IRI subscale mapping: which items belong to which subscale
SubscaleTypeItem numbers (1-based)Davis (1983) mean
PT — Perspective TakingCognitive3, 8, 11, 15, 21, 25, 28M = 16.0
FS — FantasyCognitive1, 5, 7, 12, 16, 23, 26M = 14.5
EC — Empathic ConcernAffective2, 4, 9, 14, 18, 20, 22M = 18.2
PD — Personal DistressAffective6, 10, 13, 17, 19, 24, 27M = 12.2

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IRI and what does it measure?

The IRI (Davis, 1983) is a 28-item empathy questionnaire measuring 4 subscales: Perspective Taking (cognitive — adopting others' viewpoints), Fantasy (cognitive — imaginative transportation into fictional characters), Empathic Concern (affective — sympathy and compassion for others), and Personal Distress (affective — self-oriented anxiety in response to others' distress). Scores 0–28 per subscale.

How is the IRI scored?

Rate each item 0–4. 9 items are reverse-scored (4 minus original response). Each subscale sums 7 items for scores 0–28. No official cut-off scores — Davis provides normative college sample means: PT=16.0, FS=14.5, EC=18.2, PD=12.2. Scores above or below indicate higher or lower expression of each dimension.

What is the difference between Empathic Concern and Personal Distress?

Both are affective empathy, but in different directions. Empathic Concern (EC) is other-oriented — you feel sympathy and compassion for the other person. Personal Distress (PD) is self-oriented — you feel personally anxious and overwhelmed by the other's distress. High EC with moderate PD is associated with effective helping. High PD alone can indicate empathic overwhelm and may lead to avoidance of helping situations to protect oneself.

Is this IRI test free?

Yes — completely free, no sign-up. The IRI was published by Davis (1983) for open academic use. Complete all 28 items for instant 4-subscale results with radar chart and export a free printable PDF.

Does this replace a clinical evaluation?

No. The IRI measures dispositional empathy tendencies — it is not a clinical assessment and does not diagnose empathy deficits. If you have concerns about empathy-related difficulties, please consult a qualified professional.