Mindfulness increases prosocial responses toward ostracized strangers through empathic concern.
Journal of Experimental Psychology General January 1, 2018 Daniel R. Berry, Athena H. Cairo, Robert J. Goodman et al. 176 citations
Mindfulness, whether naturally occurring or briefly instructed, increases helping behavior toward strangers who are being excluded by others. Four studies showed that people higher in dispositional mindfulness felt more empathic concern for an ostracized stranger and were more likely to help them. Brief mindfulness instructions, compared to active control instructions, also promoted prosocial responses. These effects were not explained by empathic anger, a desire to punish the perpetrator, or relaxation. Empathic concern consistently mediated the link between mindfulness and helping. Meta-analyses across the studies found stable, medium-sized effects of mindfulness instruction on prosocial emotions and behavior.