title: Vagal activity is quadratically related to prosocial traits, prosocial emotions, and observer perceptions of prosociality.
abstract: In the present article, we introduce the quadratic vagal activity-prosociality hypothesis, a theoretical framework for understanding the vagus nerve's involvement in prosociality. We argue that vagus nerve activity supports prosocial behavior by regulating physiological systems that enable emotional expression, empathy for others' mental and emotional states, the regulation of one's own distress, and the experience of positive emotions. However, we contend that extremely high levels of vagal activity can be detrimental to prosociality. We present 3 studies providing support for our model, finding consistent evidence of a quadratic relationship between respiratory sinus arrhythmia--the degree to which the vagus nerve modulates the heart rate--and prosociality. Individual differences in vagal activity were quadratically related to prosocial traits (Study 1), prosocial emotions (Study 2), and outside ratings of prosociality by complete strangers (Study 3). Thus, too much or too little vagal activity appears to be detrimental to prosociality. The present article provides the 1st theoretical and empirical account of the nonlinear relationship between vagal activity and prosociality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge.
authors.forename: Aleksandr
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.affiliation: Rady School of Management, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oveis
authors.affiliation: Rady School of Management, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Evan W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Yale University.
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: Iris B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Mauss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, New York University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shallcross
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga.
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Impett
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge.
authors.forename: Ilmo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van der Lowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge.
authors.forename: Bryant
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: Dacher
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keltner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065809:Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult