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Behavioral and Neural Effects of Compassion Medita9on Helen Weng, MS University of Wisconsin-­‐Madison July 20, 2012


Does compassion medita9on training increase helping behavior? Prac9ce

Real-­‐world behavior


Compassion experts

Lutz, Davidson et al., 2004; 2008; 2009


What about people like you and me? Can our emo9ons and behavior change with just 2 weeks of prac9ce over the Internet?


Personal Interest •  Why compassion? •  Why short interven9ons?


Compassion Medita9on Loved One Contemplate suffering Self Wish relief from suffering “May you be free from Stranger suffering. May you have joy and ease.” Difficult Person

Interocep9on Light visualiza9on


Strengthening the Compassion Muscle

Loved One

Difficult Person


Measures of Compassion •  Chose measures less suscep9ble to social desirability (doing things that others want you to do)

Altruistic Behavior

fMRI emotions

Looking Time


General Framework

Compassion medita9on Which changes increases compassion Brain ac9vity

And will increase altruis9c behavior


How do we study Compassion Training? Before

A1er

30/min day on the Internet for 2 weeks

Random Assignment

Compassion Training, n = 20 Reappraisal Training, n = 21


How do we measure compassionate behavior? •  Compassion is the feeling of caring for and wan9ng to help those are suffering •  Economic task needs to involve 1. Witnessing Suffering

2. Altruis=c Behavior


Measuring compassionate behavior: Redistribu=on Game + $$ 1

$10

A Interac9on 1: Witnessing Suffering

$0

B C

-­‐ $5 $

Interac9on 2: Altruis=c Behavior


Anonymous Computer Interface


Compassionate people (with no training) give more in response to unfairness Gives More

r = 0.43 P < .001

Gives Less Less Compassion Weng et al., Under Revision

More Compassion


Compassion Training Increases Redistribu9on *

120

Gives More

*

100 80 No Difference 60 40

Gives Less

20

$0.62

$1.14

Reappraisal

Compassion

0

No Training

Weng et al., Under Revision

* P < 0.05


Can this be explained by changes in the brain?

Measure brain responses to suffering Before and aier training


Greater altruism is predicted by changes in the brain é Parietal Cortex

é Prefrontal Cortex

Givessuffering: Witnessing $ EmotionMore sharing, Mirror neuron system

Emotion regulation Self-control

Brain Increases


Mind & Life XXIV: Latest Findings in Contempla9ve Neuroscience (2012)

Richard Davidson, PhD, David Vago, PhD, Willoughby Britton, PhD, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Helen Weng, MS, Baljinder Sahdra, PhD, Norman Farb, PhD


Greater altruism is predicted by changes in the brain ê Amygdala (Distress)

y = -3 Gives More $

Weng et al., Under Revision

Decreased Amygdala


Greater altruism is predicted by changes in the brain Brain Connec=vity

é Prefrontal Cortex (emo9on regula9on)

y = -3 é Nucleus Accumbens (reward)

é Insula (empathy, Interocep9on)

Weng et al., Under Revision


Compassion trainees visually engage more with suffering % Looking Time (Neg-Neu)

6

*

4 2 0 -2 -4 -6

* p < 0.05 1-tailed

-8

Compassion

Reappraisal

After Training

Weng et al., In Preparation


25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20

Redistribu9on (Rank)

T2 % Looking Time (Neg-Neu)

Looking Time and Altruis9c Behavior

Weng et al., In Preparation

*

40 30 20 10 0

Neg > Neu

Neu > Neg


Conclusions

Compassion medita9on Which changes increases compassion Brain ac9vity

And will increase altruis9c behavior


Thank you for listening! •  Advisor

•  Programming

–  Richie Davidson, PhD

•  Collaborators –  Alex Shackman, PhD –  Drew Fox

•  Research Staff

–  Nate Vack

•  Undergraduate Assistants –  Matthew Olson –  Tenzin Dhanze

•  MRI Staff –  –  –  –

–  Diane Stodola

•  Statistics –  Dana Tudorascu, PhD –  John Curtin, PhD

•  Grads/Post-Docs –  –  –  –  –

Michael Anderle Lisa Angelos, PhD Ron Fisher Michael Place

•  Administrative Staff

Jessica Kirkland, PhD Hyejeen Lee, PhD •  Brianna Schuyler, PhD David Perlman Allison Jahn, PhD

–  Donna Cole –  Isa Dolski

Training Developers –  Gregory Rogers, PhD –  Linda Wuestenberg, LCSW


TITLE •  TEXT


Compassion training increases altruis9c behavior Gives More

30

*

25 20

Gives Less

15 10

Control

Compassion

After 2 weeks of training

Weng et al., submiped


Domain of Expertise & Methodology •  Domain of expertise –  Short-term compassion meditation in healthy adults –  Test the main hypothesis: Does compassion meditation increase helping others? –  Methodology •

Pre/post Randomized design – can measure changes DUE TO compassion training

•  What is compassion meditation? •  How did we administer it? Internet (PICTURE) –  Applicability, Assessibility –  Research: can track people as they practice, do not have to run a course

•  How did we measure it? –  Problem in researching compassion: Social Desirability –  Marlowe-Crowne items: I never hesitate to go out of my way to help someone in trouble. I have never intensely disliked anyone. –  Emotional responses in the Brain –  Costly altruistic behavior –  Eye movements


What is compassion? •  Compassion is the emo9onal response of caring for and wan9ng to help those who are suffering (Goetz, Simon-­‐Thomas & Keltner, 2010) •  Emo9onal response to suffering (Batson, 1991; Eisenberg, Fabes & Spinrad, 2006)

–  Decreased personal distress –  Increased empathic concern

•  Behavioral response

–  Helping


Why should compassion be trained? •  Compassion may have evolved to foster social rela9onships to increase survival of both kin and non-­‐kin (Darwin, 1871; Sober & Wilson 1998; Goetz et al., 2010)

–  Children –  Ma9ng partners –  Strangers

•  Individuals with poor social rela9onships are at higher risk for psychological and physical illness, and even death (Cohen, 2004; Kawachi & Berkman, 1996; Uchino, Cacioppo & Kiecolt-­‐Glaser, 2001; House, 1988)


Studying compassionate behavior using economic decision-­‐making •  Social interac9ons are well-­‐defined through economic exchanges •  Outcomes are easy to measure •  Interac9ons are real and anonymous •  Easily administered through computer interac9ons •  Behavior is costly, and results in real financial consequences


How do we study Compassion Training? •  Methodology •  Interven9on

–  Internet training (30 min/day for 2 weeks) –  Random Assignment –  Ac9ve control group –  Protect against nonspecific effects (prac9ce structure and 9me, teacher)

•  Measurements

–  Emo9ons – brain response (fMRI) –  Behavior – altruis9c economic decision-­‐making –  Protect against social desirability


Measuring compassionate behavior: Redistribu=on Game Step 1: A shares with B while C observes (Witnessing Suffering)

A

+

$$$$$ $$$$$

B 0

C

$$$$$

Step 2: C can choose to pay to redistribute from A to B (Altruis=c Behavior)

+

A

-­‐ $$$

C

B


Can greater altruism aier compassion training be explained by changes in the brain? éDorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (execu9ve control, working memory, emo9on regula9on) Sanfey, 2007 é Insula (Body awareness, empathy) ê Amygdala (Distress, Fear)

é Nucleus Accumbens (Reward, helping)


Edits •  Graphs –  Take out REP group, numbers –  Explain brain CHANGE –  Explain axes

•  Difficult person – change •  Picture of weights


Compassion experts

Lutz et al., PNAS 2004; PloS One 2008; NeuroImage 2009


Increased altruism is predicted by changes in brain response to suffering é Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex DLPFC (execu9ve control, working memory, emo9on regula9on) Gives More

25"

15"

REP sr = -0.33*" COM sr = 0.45**"

5"

-5"

-15" -­‐1.5

Weng et al., submiped

-­‐1

-­‐0.5

0

0.5

Increased DLPFC


Increased altruism is predicted by changes in brain response to suffering ê Amygdala (Distress, Fear)

y = -3

25"

Gives More

15"

REP sr = .20"

5"

COM sr = -0.41***"

-5"

-15" -3"

Weng et al., submiped

-2"

-1"

Decreased Amygdala

0"

1"

2"


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