In an article in the journal Emotion, DeSteno and Valdesolo show that very simple common experience–synchronized movement– increases compassion. Their research methods are briefly described in an article in the NY Times Sunday, July 7, 2013 and should be of great interest to psychodramatists. Synchronous motion is involved in doubling. Here is the citation for the article:
Synchrony and the social tuning of compassion. Valdesolo, Piercarlo DeSteno, David ; Emotion, Vol 11(2), Apr, 2011. pp. 262-266. [Journal Article]
Although evidence has suggested that synchronized movement can foster cooperation, the ability of synchrony to increase costly altruism and to operate as a function of emotional mechanisms remain…
- Subjects:
- Altruism; Cooperation; Motor Coordination; Motor Processes; Sympathy
If simple shared experience increases observable compassionate behavior, think what doubling and/or role reversal might do! And would that not be an interesting hypothesis to test?
