Class and compassion: Socioeconomic factors predict responses to suffering.

Abstract

Previous research indicates that lower-class individuals experience elevated negative emotions as compared with their upper-class counterparts. We examine how the environments of lower-class individuals can also promote greater compassionate responding-that is, concern for the suffering or well-being of others. In the present research, we investigate class-based differences in dispositional compassion and its activation in situations wherein others are suffering. Across studies, relative to their upper-class counterparts, lower-class individuals reported elevated dispositional compassion (Study 1), as well as greater self-reported compassion during a compassion-inducing video (Study 2) and for another person during a social interaction (Study 3). Lower-class individuals also exhibited heart rate deceleration-a physiological response associated with orienting to the social environment and engaging with others-during the compassion-inducing video (Study 2). We discuss a potential mechanism of class-based influences on compassion, whereby lower-class individuals' are more attuned to others' distress, relative to their upper-class counterparts.

Affective and physiological responses to the suffering of others: Compassion and vagal activity.

“…In addition to our conceptual analysis, additional evidence germane to our prediction is found in patterns of heart rate deceleration, which occur during compassion (Eisenberg et al, 1989;Stellar et al, 2012). The vagus nerve functions to inhibit the sino-atrial node of the heart, so increases in vagal activity often result in measurable decreases in heart rate (Berntson et al 1993).…”

“…Eisenberg and colleagues (1991) have documented that subjective reports and expressive displays of compassion covary with heart rate deceleration. Participants induced to feel compassion show decreases in heart rate compared to neutral state inductions, and the magnitude of the physiological response distinguishes between those who reported more or less compassion (Stellar et al, 2012). It is important to note that this evidence must be interpreted carefully because heart rate is affected by both the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems, highlighting the importance of measuring RSA, the focus of the present four studies.…”

Etudier, Mesurer et Manipuler la Classe Sociale en Psychologie Sociale: Approches Economiques, Symboliques et Culturelles [Studying, Measuring and Manipulating Social Class in Social Psychology: Economic, Symbolic and Cultural Approaches]

“…En revanche, les émotions des personnes avec un faible rang perçu ont tendance à se modifier au cours d'une interaction pour devenir similaires à celles ressenties par leur partenaire (Kraus, Horberg, Goetz, & Keltner, 2011). De plus, les individus avec un faible rang perçu font preuve d'une plus grande compassion face à la souffrance des autres (Stellar, Manzo, Kraus, & Keltner, 2012). D'une façon plus générale, Classes sociales et orientation relationnelle: comportements prosociaux et non éthiques.…”

Lying because we care: Compassion increases prosocial lying.

“…Compassion is evoked by witnessing or learning about others' physical or emotional pain (Batson et al, 1997;Condon & DeSteno, 2011;Eisenberg et al, 1989;Stellar, Cohen, Oveis, & Keltner, 2014;Stellar, Feinberg, & Keltner, 2014;Stellar, Manzo, Kraus, & Keltner, 2012;Van Kleef et al, 2008) or victimization (Cameron & Payne, 2011;Valdesolo & DeSteno, 2011a), and by viewing depictions of suffering others such as homeless or malnourished people (Oveis et al, 2009;Oveis, Horberg, & Keltner, 2010).…”