When the crowd at the Republican
presidential primary debate yelled "Let him die” in response to a
question about a person who opts out of health insurance, Heidi
Wayment, a social psychologist at Northern Arizona University,
immediately thought about which social influences drive people to
distance themselves from others. It was in sharp contrast to the
outpouring after 9/11, when people from all over the world sought to
find any connection to the World Trade Center or the victims of the
attacks. Wayment's research is shedding light on the role of
compassion in these disparate interactions, as she discussed with
journalists on Oct. 17 at the annual
ScienceWriters meeting in Flagstaff. Her work
suggests that compassion for others can lead to community involvement
and stronger relationships, while making people less prone to anger
and aggression.
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When the crowd at the Republican
presidential primary debate yelled "Let him die” in response to a
question about a person who opts out of health insurance, Heidi
Wayment, a social psychologist at Northern Arizona University,
immediately thought about which social influences drive people to
distance themselves from others. It was in sharp contrast to the
outpouring after 9/11, when people from all over the world sought to
find any connection to the World Trade Center or the victims of the
attacks. Wayment's research is shedding light on the role of
compassion in these disparate interactions, as she discussed with
journalists on Oct. 17 at the