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Gepubliceerd in: Mindfulness 11/2020

14-08-2020 | ORIGINAL PAPER

Mindfulness Practice Makes Moral People More Moral

Auteurs: Qianguo Xiao, Chunmei Hu, Ting Wang

Gepubliceerd in: Mindfulness | Uitgave 11/2020

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Abstract

Objectives

In prior studies, mixed results have been obtained regarding the relations between mindfulness, moral judgment, and prosocial behavior. We conducted two studies to better clarify the connections between mindfulness and several moral variables.

Methods

In Study 1, a cross-sectional survey (N = 554) was conducted to test the possible associations between mindfulness, moral sensitivity, moral identity, and prosocial behavior. In Study 2, a randomized controlled experiment was conducted to examine the impact of a mindfulness intervention on moral identity and prosocial behavior. A total of 99 participants (n = 49, mindfulness group; n = 50, wait-list control group), all of whom were undergraduate students on an optional 11-week mindfulness-based self-exploration course, were recruited via the campus network system.

Results

In Study 1, we found that mindfulness, moral sensitivity, moral identity, and prosocial behavior were all positively correlated. Results of the mediation analysis suggested that dispositional mindfulness had significant effects on prosocial tendencies both directly and indirectly via the mediator variables of moral sensitivity and moral identity. In Study 2, mindfulness practice was found to significantly improve the levels of mindfulness and self-compassion in participants but only had a significant effect on willingness toward prosocial behavior for those participants with existing high moral identity.

Conclusions

Study 1 confirmed the predicted links between mindfulness, moral sensitivity, moral identity, and prosocial behavior. Study 2 suggested that moral identity influences the effect of mindfulness practice on willingness toward prosocial behavior. However, the underlying mechanisms and causes of this effect require further study.
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Metagegevens
Titel
Mindfulness Practice Makes Moral People More Moral
Auteurs
Qianguo Xiao
Chunmei Hu
Ting Wang
Publicatiedatum
14-08-2020
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Mindfulness / Uitgave 11/2020
Print ISSN: 1868-8527
Elektronisch ISSN: 1868-8535
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01478-4

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