The importance of speaking the truth with kindness and compassion has been at the cornerstone of much of my work with people in so many capacities over the past ten years. In reviewing a recent book by Dachur Keltner, Ph.D., Born to be Good, I was struck by the author’s research that supports the position that we as human beings are genetically and neurophysiologically programmed with tendencies towards kindness, generosity and self-sacrifice.
Keltner and other researchers at U.C. Berkeley have found that the vagus nerve, a bundle of nerves that originate at the top of the spinal cord, plays a central role in humans’ tendencies towards kindness and compassion. The vagus nerve activates many of the central organs of our body such as the heart, lungs, liver, and digestive organs. The vagus nerve can also reduce heart rate. Recent research has shown that it is also likely to produce a feeling of “warmth” when we are moved by something like another person’s generosity or goodness. The vagus nerve is also thought to stimulate various speech centers in the brain that enable communication. And the most recent scientific findings have suggested that the vagus nerve might be closely connected to receptor networks for oxytocin, a neurotransmitter involved in trust, compassion, and maternal bonding. Researchers at Berkeley have found that people who have a high vagus nerve activation in a resting state are prone to feeling altruistic, compassionate, more loving, and happier. Other researchers at Arizona State University (Isenberg) found that children with high baseline vagus nerve activities were more cooperative in their play and more likely to share.
So many current theorists emphasize the fact that if we can be more conscience of the importance of kindness and compassion in our lives, the more we will be able to derive happiness in our day to day existence. Now a “science of happiness” has been emerging in psychological literature that attempts to examine quality of life issues in much the same way that medical science examines life expectancy. Green movements are increasing our awareness of and reverence for the beauty of nature. We are becoming more consciousness about garbage, pollution, and waste and their impact on the environment. Furthermore, we are seeing increasing use of meditation as a means of focusing inward upon our internal experiences of happiness in an effort to highlight the importance of these qualities in our day to day life. Talking about the things for which we are grateful in our classrooms, at our dinner table, and even with ourselves can promote well being and health. Moving away from more materialistic desires and towards devoting our resources to others in the service of promoting relationships, so often brings about lasting feelings of well being. We are seeing Doctoral Programs in Clinical Psychology emphasizing the importance of compassionate, and empathic listening as an important component in promoting healthier outcomes for patients. And so, what we are seeing is that psychological research is validating that which many of us have known: kindness, compassion, appreciation for others, and gratitude are seminally important in creating and promoting quality in our lives.
