Kinsky, Grace J. Do Social Goals Moderate the Effect of Brief Mindfulness Instruction on Compassion and Prosocial Behavior? 2026. Radford University, Thesis. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
Research on secular mindfulness practices has grown exponentially over the last decades, finding benefits for personal and social well-being. Contemplative scholars have argued, however, that for the social benefits of mindfulness to be realized, meditation practices must be grounded in an ethical framework. This study attempted to clarify whether mindfulness itself promotes social well-being or whether mindfulness interacts with one’s social goals to predict social well-being. Participants (N = 330) listened to either a real or sham mindfulness instruction prior to observing an ostensible person being ostracized in an online game (Cyberball). To manipulate social goals, some participants were presented with a victim who was at fault for their own ostracism, holding onto the ball for 15 seconds. Other participants observed the victim being excluded for no apparent reason. Self-reported compassion was measured, and participants wrote emails to the players, scored for helping and hurting behaviors. If mindfulness increased compassion and helping regardless of the ostracism victims’ burdensomeness, this would support the hypothesis that mindfulness promotes social well-being. If mindfulness increased compassion and helping only for the non-burdensome victim, this would highlight the importance of grounding mindfulness in ethical practices. There were no interaction effects found for dependent variables. However, there were main effects of mindfulness instruction on compassion and moral outrage toward the perpetrators of ostracism. Participants who received the mindfulness instruction showed less compassion and more moral outrage toward the perpetrators than participants who received the sham instruction. Implications for future research and theory are drawn.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
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| Advisors Names: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
| Divisions: | Radford University > College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences > Department of Psychology |
| Date Deposited: | 28 May 2026 14:39 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1346 |
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