The neural mediators of kindness-based meditation: a theoretical model

Frontiers in Psychology
Jennifer S MascaroCharles L Raison

Abstract

Although kindness-based contemplative practices are increasingly employed by clinicians and cognitive researchers to enhance prosocial emotions, social cognitive skills, and well-being, and as a tool to understand the basic workings of the social mind, we lack a coherent theoretical model with which to test the mechanisms by which kindness-based meditation may alter the brain and body. Here, we link contemplative accounts of compassion and loving-kindness practices with research from social cognitive neuroscience and social psychology to generate predictions about how diverse practices may alter brain structure and function and related aspects of social cognition. Contingent on the nuances of the practice, kindness-based meditation may enhance the neural systems related to faster and more basic perceptual or motor simulation processes, simulation of another's affective body state, slower and higher-level perspective-taking, modulatory processes such as emotion regulation and self/other discrimination, and combinations thereof. This theoretical model will be discussed alongside best practices for testing such a model and potential implications and applications of future work.

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Citations

Nov 19, 2015·Frontiers in Psychology·Xianglong ZengFreedom Y K Leung
Dec 5, 2015·Frontiers in Psychology·Barbara Tomasino, Franco Fabbro
May 7, 2016·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Zoran Josipovic
Jul 7, 2017·PloS One·Masahiro MatsunagaHidenori Yamasue
Feb 14, 2020·Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy·Marcia J AshJennifer S Mascaro
Jan 10, 2018·Frontiers in Neuroscience·Masahiro MatsunagaHideki Ohira
Dec 12, 2020·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Rebecca AlexanderCharis Styliadis

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