The Science & Practice of Compassion & Prosociality

Everyone needs help sometimes. Giving and receiving help gets us through the day, connects us to others, and ensures our mental and physical well-being. Despite these benefits, lending a helping hand or accepting help can be hard. Why is something so essential so difficult for so many? In this course, we will discuss the psychological, cultural, and brain bases of compassion and prosociality. To put knowledge into practice, this course is largely experiential. Students will undergo Compassion Cultivation TrainingTM each week to acquire the skills necessary for extending compassion to the self and to friend, foe, stranger, and the world. Designed at Stanford University and The Compassion Institute, this training challenges worldviews for the betterment of ourselves and others. This course is especially appropriate for students going into the health professions. (PSYC 105, Open to junior and senior psychology majors only, others by approval) 3 hr sem