title: Effects of compassion meditation on a psychological model of charitable donation.
abstract: Compassion is critical for societal wellbeing. Yet, it remains unclear how specific thoughts and feelings motivate compassionate behavior, and we lack a scientific understanding of how to effectively cultivate compassion. Here, we conducted 2 studies designed to a) develop a psychological model predicting compassionate behavior, and b) test this model as a mediator of a Compassion Meditation (CM) intervention and identify the "active ingredients" of CM. In Study 1, we developed a model predicting compassionate behavior, operationalized as real-money charitable donation, from a linear combination of self-reported tenderness, personal distress, perceived blamelessness, and perceived instrumental value of helping with high cross-validated accuracy, r = .67, p < .0001. Perceived similarity to suffering others did not predict charitable donation when controlling for other feelings and attributions. In Study 2, a randomized controlled trial, we tested the Study 1 model as a mediator of CM and investigated active ingredients. We compared a smartphone-based CM program to 2 conditions-placebo oxytocin and a Familiarity intervention-to control for expectancy effects, demand characteristics, and familiarity effects. Relative to control conditions, CM increased charitable donations, and changes in the Study 1 model of feelings and attributions mediated this effect (pab = .002). The Familiarity intervention led to decreases in primary outcomes, while placebo oxytocin had no significant effects on primary outcomes. Overall, this work contributes a quantitative model of compassionate behavior, and informs our understanding of the change processes and intervention components of CM. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Yoni K
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5602-5619
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Ashar
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cognitive Science, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Andrews-Hanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Texas.
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yarkoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Jenifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sills
authors.affiliation: Upaya Institute and Zen Center.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halifax
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Sona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimidjian
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Tor D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Wager
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002608:Charities; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012919:Social Behavior