Psychological Definition

Responding to need in others Noticing need Motive to relieve need Behavior to help

Scientific History
Social Psychology: Meet anothers needs as a condition

of maintaining the relationship, or to relieve negative states, or to gain approval. Economics: Meet anothers needs as a way to maintain goods for the self, gain favor, and cooperate efficientlymaximize the benefits to the self and minimize the costs to the self. Evolutionary Biology: Meet anothers needs as a way to increase the reproduction of common genes or to cooperate efficiently and secure greater benefits for the self.

What is missing?
A genuine concern for the well-being of another

person.

Science of Compassion
A corrective
Starts with the premise that individuals can be

motivated to respond to and relieve anothers needs.

Evolutionary Background
Logical necessity of compassionate motives in the case

of parenting Benefits to activating compassionate motives in other instances, beyond parenting

Evolutionary Background
Theories that address how compassion motives can be

sustained in the population

Kin selection Reciprocal altruism Stake holder theory Selective investment theory Commitment

Group selection (and derivatives of reciprocal altruism

theory)