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Apparently, meditation isn't just a mindfulness exercise anymore. According to researchers from Emory University, it can also be used to inculcate compassion – and, by extension, empathy – in a person.
The researchers developed a program called Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), where they recruited 13 people to undergo meditation exercises for eight weeks. Additionally, they had eight people take health discussion classes only, to function as a control group.
Before and after the CBCT, all the participants received fMRI brain scans as they completed Reading the Mind in the Eyes tests (RMETs). None of them had any previous meditation experience.
Out of the 13 who underwent the CBCT, eight were able to improve their scores by an average of 4.6 percent. In contrast, those in the control group had unchanged, or lower, scores. Based on these results, it would seem that mindfulness and compassion are connected. To quote Christopher Bergland from Psychology Today: "Systematic (loving-kindness meditation) may actually blur the lines between oneself and others by dissolving the rigid differentiation of suffering between: me, you, us, them, friend, or foe at a neural level." Join a Musical GroupYou're probably aware that music affects your mood. Apparently, it has an effect on how you interact with others too, judging from the results of a study conducted by University of Cambridge researchers.
The researchers took 52 children, whose ages ranged from 8 to 11, and divided them into two groups. The first group was assigned to a specially-designed music program, where the children participated in interaction-based activities. The second group had a similar program, albeit without music.
Before and after the programs, the children were tested on their levels of emotional empathy. Unsurprisingly, the children from the musically-oriented group fared better in the post-program tests.
The researchers are hesitant to draw definitive conclusions from this, though. Still, you'd probably want to join your nearest band/choir/music club anyway. Make Empathy a HabitSo far, we've discussed methods to increase empathy for a short period of time. But whether those methods have any lasting impact remains to be seen.
At any rate, experts agree that anyone can be trained to be more empathetic, including psychopaths and narcissists. Yes, you read that right; even people who apparently lack empathy can learn to be more attuned to others' feelings – as long as they consciously, and consistently, train themselves to be such.
There's still much to learn about the exact workings of empathy. It's much more complex than just "seeing the world through someone else's eyes". Nonetheless, it's a worthwhile skill to learn, not just for the sake of others, but also your own. Jerissa writes about freelancing, writing, marketing, and other business-related topics. Feel free to drop her a line here.The post 4 Unexpected (and Science-Backed) Ways to Develop Empathy appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.