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Compassion meditation increases optimism towards a transgressor
Birgit Koopmann-Holm1, Jocelyn Sze2, Thupten Jinpa3
1Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA.
Cognition & Emotion
|December 20, 2019
Summary
Compassion meditation increased optimism in letters written to a convicted murderer, unlike mindfulness meditation. This suggests compassion training may foster positivity towards difficult targets.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Contemplative Science
Background:
- Existing research links meditation and compassion.
- Most studies examine one meditation type, a single compassion expression, and relatable targets, lacking mechanistic insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare mindfulness and compassion meditation effects on compassion expressions.
- Investigate compassion towards an unrelatable target (a convicted murderer).
Main Methods:
- 74 participants randomly assigned to mindfulness meditation, compassion meditation, active control, or no-class control.
- 8-week program followed by assessing compassion via writing to a murderer.
- Letters coded for empathy, sympathy, forgiveness, and optimism.
Main Results:
- Compassion meditation group wrote significantly more optimistic letters.
- This effect was partly mediated by valuing positivity.
- No significant differences in empathy, sympathy, or forgiveness were found.
Conclusions:
- Compassion meditation may enhance optimism towards challenging targets.
- Findings contribute to understanding meditation's role in extending compassion.
- Future research should explore mechanisms and diverse targets.
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