Studies of Training Compassion

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alea C. Skwara ◽  
Brandon G. King ◽  
Clifford D. Saron
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Mechanisms Of Change ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Contemporary Research ◽  
Over Time

Recent years have seen a growth of interest in contemplative approaches to cultivating compassionate responses to suffering. This chapter draws on contemporary research from cognitive, affective, and social psychology to provide an introduction to the field of compassion training. We consider what constitutes compassion training and offer a summary of current meditation-based approaches. We then provide an overview of the empirical evidence for a relationship between compassion training and changes in socioemotional processes, prosocial behavior, and physiological stress responses to the perception of others’ suffering. We further address challenges in interpreting data from these studies, considering potential training-related mechanisms of change and how compassion-relevant processes might develop over time. Lastly, we conclude by outlining key theoretical challenges for future research.

Economic Shifts and Cultural Changes in Individualism

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuji Ogihara
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
National Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Temporal Perspective ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

This chapter discusses the relationship between economic affluence and individualism from a cross-temporal perspective. Previous research has indicated that wealth and individualism are positively correlated at both the individual and the national level. This chapter discusses whether this relationship is also found at the temporal level. This chapter consists of three parts. First, a theory about the association between economic affluence and individualism is summarized. Second, the chapter introduces empirical evidence on temporal changes in individualism and their relationship with economic development in three cultures (United States, Japan, China). These studies indicated that the three cultures have shifted toward greater individualism over time. Moreover, these changes in individualism were positively linked to increases in economic affluence at the annual level. Third, the chapter is summarized and directions for future research are raised. Overall, this chapter discusses how socioecological factors and human psychologies/behaviors are associated particularly from a cross-temporal perspective.

scholarly journals Over time Decay of Cortisol Metabolites in Faecal Pellets of Koalas in Central Queensland

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3376
Author(s):  
Flavia Santamaria ◽  
Rolf Schlagloth ◽  
Rupert Palme ◽  
Joerg Henning
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Water Loss ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Faecal Pellets ◽  
Field Samples ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Cortisol Metabolites

Faecal material can be a valuable source of information for a range of animal health aspects and can be used to measure faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs). FCM values can relate to physiological stress responses. However, freshly defecated pellets are not always available and environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, might affect faecal pellet consistency and FCM levels. Therefore, the impact of environmental conditions on FCMs needs to be evaluated. We collected 107 pellets from two female and two male koalas, exposed them to three types of treatments, and analysed FCMs in these samples with three enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). After analysis, the original FCM values were mathematically corrected for water loss. Results show that the FCMs were more stable when measured using tetrahydrocorticosterone (50c) and 5α-pregnane-3β,11β,21-triol-20-one (37e) EIAs, and were less stable when measured with the cortisol EIA. With 50c, the FCM values did not vary significantly over time either before or after the adjustment with water in the environment treatment group. For samples kept under constant low (25 °C) and high (35 °C) temperatures, the 50c FCM values did not vary significantly over time, after adjustments were made for water loss. Thus, this study highlights the importance of considering the suitability of faecal field samples for FCM analysis. Because water loss was the main driver of FCM changes, we strongly recommend collecting koala pellets that are freshly defecated, despite the effort and time it might take to collect such pellets.

scholarly journals Patents and Innovation: Evidence from Economic History

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Moser
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
Economic History ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Compulsory Licensing ◽  
Patent Pools ◽  
Diffusion Of Knowledge ◽  
Patent Laws ◽  
Over Time

What is the optimal system of intellectual property rights to encourage innovation? Empirical evidence from economic history can help to inform important policy questions that have been difficult to answer with modern data: For example, does the existence of strong patent laws encourage innovation? What proportion of innovations is patented? Is this share constant across industries and over time? How does patenting affect the diffusion of knowledge? How effective are prominent mechanisms, such as patent pools and compulsory licensing, that have been proposed to address problems with the patent system? This essay summarizes results of existing research and highlights promising areas for future research.

scholarly journals Hair Cortisol Concentration and Mental Disorder in Children With Chronic Physical Illness

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 247054701987511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Kornelsen ◽  
M. Claire Buchan ◽  
Andrea Gonzalez ◽  
Mark A. Ferro
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Externalizing Disorders ◽  
Physical Illness ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Hair Cortisol ◽  
Chronic Physical Illness ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Over Time

Background To examine changes in hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in children with chronic physical illness and identify patterns of association between HCC and mental comorbidity. Methods A sample of 50 children aged 6 to 16 years were recruited within six months of being diagnosed with a chronic physical illness. Data were collected via hair samples, structured interviews, and behavioral checklists. Results There was no change in HCC over six months. Baseline HCC was associated with internalizing—odds ratio (OR) = 1.29 (90% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.66)—and externalizing disorders—OR = 1.32 (90% CI: 1.07–1.64). Externalizing disorder at six months was associated with elevated baseline—OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02–1.53)—and six-month HCC—OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02–1.54). Associations between HCC and mental disorder weakened over time, and for internalizing disorders, changed direction (i.e., inverse association), albeit not significantly. Conclusion Results provide preliminary evidence that physiological stress, measured using HCC, may be implicated in the relationship between physical and mental illness, and these associations align with attenuated stress responses over time.

scholarly journals Biomedical Explanations of Psychopathology and Their Implications for Attitudes and Beliefs About Mental Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 555-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Lebowitz ◽  
Paul S. Appelbaum
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Real World ◽  
Conceptual Models ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Real World Evidence ◽  
Over Time

Mental disorders are increasingly conceptualized as biomedical diseases, explained as manifestations of genetic and neurobiological abnormalities. Here, we discuss changes in the dominant explanatory accounts of psychopathology that have occurred over time and the driving forces behind these shifts, lay out some real-world evidence for the increasing ascendancy of biomedical explanations, and provide an overview of the types of attitudes and beliefs that may be affected by them. We examine theoretical and conceptual models that are relevant to understanding how biomedical conceptualizations might affect attitudes and beliefs about mental disorders, and we review some empirical evidence that bears on this question. Finally, we examine possible strategies for combatting potential negative effects of biomedical explanations and discuss important conclusions and directions for future research.

scholarly journals Covariation between behaviour and physiology indicators of coping style in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

2013 ◽  
Vol 219 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Tudorache ◽  
Marcel J M Schaaf ◽  
Hans Slabbekoorn
Keyword(s):  
Danio Rerio ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Coping Style ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Repeated Stress ◽  
Basal Cortisol ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
First Time ◽  
Over Time

All vertebrates exhibit physiological responses to a wide variety of stressors. The amplitude and profile of the response depend on the intensity, duration, controllability and predictability of the stressor, but there is also individual variation in the response, termed coping style. A better understanding of the expression of coping styles is of great value for medical applications, animal welfare issues and conservation. Here, we investigated the effect of repeated netting stress on proactive and reactive zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an upcoming model system for stress research. Fish were separated by coping styles according to the order of entering a novel environment. Subsequently, repeated netting stress was applied as stressor, over a period of 21 days. Full-body cortisol levels were determined at 0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min after the last repeated stress event. Our results show that reactive fish display i) increased basal cortisol concentrations after being repeatedly stressed, ii) higher cortisol secretion over time and iii) slow recovery of cortisol concentration towards basal levels after the last repeated stress event. This study shows for the first time in zebrafish that different coping styles are associated with different cortisol responses during the recovery from stress over time and that coping styles can explain otherwise unaccounted variation in physiological stress responses.

Urinary corticosterone metabolite responses to capture and visual elastomer tagging in the Asian toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

2019 ◽  
pp. 179-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Enzyme Immunoassay ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Saline Control ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Duttaphrynus Melanostictus ◽  
Physiological Stress Response ◽  
Routine Handling

Herpetological research involving amphibians is increasingly using mark and recapture methods, employing various techniques such as toe-clipping and visible implant alphanumeric tags. Visual Implant Elastomer (VIE) is a new method available for herpetological surveys, involving a coloured dye inserted into the epidermal skin surface of frogs. Previously, there has been only one study which demonstrated that the VIE method does not generate a significant physiological stress response (using a faecal glucocorticoid method) in a captive amphibian species. Physiological stress can also be quantified non-invasively using urinary corticosterone metabolite (UCM) enzyme-immunoassay in amphibians. In this study, we tested the physiological stress response of a common amphibian species, wild caught Asian toads (Duttaphrynus melanostictus), by comparing UCM responses to capture handling, sham control or VIE marking method. Adult males (n = 38) were captured and sampled for baseline UCM (t = 0 h) then marked either using the VIE or sham (saline control), or only handled during capture. Subsequently, urine samples were collected at t = 2, 12 and 24 h for toads within each group. UCM levels were quantified using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to determine differences among treatment groups and over time following capture. Toads generated acute stress responses to all three groups, showing a change in UCMs between baseline samples, 12 h, and 24 h samples. The mean UCM levels were not significantly different between the VIE method and the control groups (capture handling or sham operated). These results indicate that VIE method of tagging is no more stressful than routine handling of amphibians, hence in this context, the method does not have any additional welfare implications. Future research should explore the limitations of VIE tagging for long-term mark recapture studies, however, our current findings support its application as a minimally-invasive method for marking amphibians.

Convergence in Human Resource Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 366-393
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Mayrhofer ◽  
Chris Brewster ◽  
Katharina Pernkopf
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Time Change ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Over Time

This chapter takes the contextual view of human resource management (HRM) and its challenge to the universalistic perspective that is explored in the preceding chapters and adds the element of time. How does time change the relationship between countries in their way of managing HRM? Including time leads to a question that goes beyond snapshot views of how various aspects of context at different levels relate to HRM: How do these relationships and their effects develop as the years go by? The chapter addresses the notion of convergence in three steps. First, it examines a range of conceptual views about what convergence means in different theoretical traditions and discourses. Second, and based on that examination, it offers a balanced overview of the conceptual and empirical evidence about how HRM has been developing in different contextual settings over time, teasing out what we know for sure and what is still open for speculation. Third, the chapter outlines some promising options for future research at the conceptual, empirical, and practical levels.

scholarly journals The Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Family: Physiology of the Stress Response

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 2225-2286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan M. Deussing ◽  
Alon Chen
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Corticotropin Releasing Factor ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Molecular Features ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Physiological Stress Response

The physiological stress response is responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis in the presence of real or perceived challenges. In this function, the brain activates adaptive responses that involve numerous neural circuits and effector molecules to adapt to the current and future demands. A maladaptive stress response has been linked to the etiology of a variety of disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders, and the metabolic syndrome. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its relatives, the urocortins 1–3, in concert with their receptors (CRFR1, CRFR2), have emerged as central components of the physiological stress response. This central peptidergic system impinges on a broad spectrum of physiological processes that are the basis for successful adaptation and concomitantly integrate autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral stress responses. This review focuses on the physiology of CRF-related peptides and their cognate receptors with the aim of providing a comprehensive up-to-date overview of the field. We describe the major molecular features covering aspects of gene expression and regulation, structural properties, and molecular interactions, as well as mechanisms of signal transduction and their surveillance. In addition, we discuss the large body of published experimental studies focusing on state-of-the-art genetic approaches with high temporal and spatial precision, which collectively aimed to dissect the contribution of CRF-related ligands and receptors to different levels of the stress response. We discuss the controversies in the field and unravel knowledge gaps that might pave the way for future research directions and open up novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

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