In 2022, we started a new 3-year grant funded project on the science of empathy, compassion, and religion (funded by Templeton Religion Trust; see their feature on Measuring Compassion). Read on for more about our objectives here, and stay tuned for publications. You can also read more about our work on the negative intergroup consequences of religion here.
Compassion, the ability to comprehend, share, and be concerned about another person’s emotions, is often regarded as a virtue that promotes altruistic behavior and fosters a peaceful society. Nevertheless, experiencing compassion is not a straightforward process. This research project aims to enhance our comprehension of the factors that encourage compassion. We contend that religion provides the teachings and experiences necessary for individuals to overcome typical impediments to compassion.
The first objective of this project is to investigate the correlations between specific religious practices and the most current metrics of compassion, including behavioral measures. We will replicate and expand upon the existing limited evidence and conduct a preliminary examination of the causal influence of engaging in religious practices on compassion.
The second objective is to elucidate why religiosity is associated with a greater capacity for compassion by evaluating whether religion 1) fosters normative, affective, and social incentives for compassion, and 2) influences perceptions of the emotional and cognitive expenses associated with compassion. We propose a series of nine empirical studies, supported by direct and conceptual replication endeavors. We will generate scientific publications and conference presentations to establish a robust scientific foundation with practical implications for religious communities.
In November 2024, we received additional funding from the Templeton Religion Trust, and started a 2-year grant funded project that aims to further advance the science of empathy. Dr. Patty Van Cappellen serves as Principal Investigator, with BABLab post-doctoral fellow Dr. Kunalan Manokara as Co-Investigator.
The primary objective of this project is to evaluate the current state of the field on empathy research, specifically relating to religion and covenantal pluralism. A scoping review will hence be conducted, which serves to organize conceptualizations of empathy as well as related constructs such as compassion and love. By reviewing and synthesizing the existing bodies of work in these intellectual spaces, the scoping review will identify gaps in the field and thereby suggest new lines of empirical research.
The scoping review process will be guided by five central questions:
- How is empathy defined and measured?
- What are the societal impacts of empathy in terms of covenantal pluralism?
- How is empathy situated re related constructs such as compassion and other positive emotions?
- What is the role of religion in promoting empathy?
- How may empathy have a role in covenantal pluralism?
To further refine the scoping review, we will hold expert group meetings and solicit feedback and ideas from field leaders. Subject matter experts from various disciplines (e.g., psychology, neuroscience, theology, philosophy) will be invited to discuss their thoughts on our project, and their suggestions will shape the scoping review process. To facilitate these discussions, we are collaborating with Dr. Sara Algoe from UNC Chapel Hill, who has obtained a parallel grant from the Templeton Religion Trust for network building amongst scholars who work on empathy.
Publications:
Van Cappellen, P., Łowicki, P., Tan, C. S., Balkaya-Ince, M., Schnitker, S., Cameron, C. D., Bernal, A., & Manokara, K. (under review). Who cares? Religiosity’s role in compassionate responses to human suffering. Pre-print.
Łowicki, P., Zajenkowski, M., & Van Cappellen, P. (2020). It’s the heart that matters: The relationships among cognitive mentalizing ability, emotional empathy, and religiosity. Personality and Individual Differences, 161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109976
Media Coverage:
Psychology Today Article by Dr. Kunalan Manokara and Dr. Patty Van Cappellen: How Spiritual Practices Can Affect Well-Being
Featured Story by Templeton Religion Trust: Measuring Compassion: Respond or not?
