Scientific support fund: Universal Compassion and Prosociality: An Interdisciplinary Project on the Variation and Cultivation of Universal Compassion and Its Relationship to Social Emotions, Prejudice and Prosocial Behavior in Youth (VOPPU95) (WSF1)

All human societies throughout history face the fundamental
challenge to develop cooperative social relationships within groups
and, especially in increasingly diverse societies, between groups.
Scientific research on meditation- and mindfulness-based mental
training interventions has grown and has shown positive effects on
both well-being and prosocial behavior. However, little research
exists that investigated (1) adolescents, (2) cultural differences, and
(3) in- and -outgroup relations. Therefore, this project assesses the
particularities, cultivation, and consequences of universal
compassion among young people from diverse backgrounds.
Adolescence is a phase in life that marks the transition between
childhood and adulthood and is a crucial developmental stage for
adolescents' identity and societal attitudes. This project seeks to
answer three interrelated research questions. First, what is the social
profile of people who hold compassionate attitudes for generic
others? Second, does a Compassion Training adapted to the context
of superdiverse secondary education schools have an impact
(assessed with a pre/post/follow-up design) on compassion, social
connectedness and competencies, anti-compassion (e.g., prejudice),
and prosocial behavior? Third, which neurological and sociopsychological mechanisms underlie these effects?

Keywords:universal compassion, meditation, contemplative science

Disciplines:Group and interpersonal relations, Applied sociology not elsewhere classified, Human experimental psychology not elsewhere classified, Neurosciences not elsewhere classified