Western Psychological Association, Annual Convention, April 28 - May 1, 2011, Los Angeles

Posters

Empathy, Guilt and Altruism: Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Practices, Lynn E. O’Connor, Jack W. Berry, David J. Stiver, Losang Monlam, Suluck Chaturabuland and Melissa Janson.
Abstract
In recent studies, Tibetan Buddhist monks with extensive meditation experience have been found to exhibit general psychological wellbeing and unusual skill at emotion regulation. These characteristics may influence their adaptation to political oppression in Tibet, and to the stressful experience of escaping from Tibet, followed by immigration to Nepal and/or India. Prior studies have demonstrated that refugees who have escaped countries where they were imprisoned and/or tortured were subsequently likely to exhibit high rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other serious mood and anxiety disorders. In contrast, several studies have indicated that Tibetan Buddhists, after long and dangerous flights across the Himalaya, have been arriving in India and Nepal with low levels of mental disorders, including PTSD. It has been suggested that this unusual and resilient response to traumatic conditions may be attributed to protective factors associated with the Tibetan Buddhist religion, for example the habitual tendency to see oneself as having suffered less than others, regardless of circumstances. In addition, beliefs that are an integral part of the religion itself, may play an important role. For example, Tibetan Buddhists believe in Karma, whereby prior actions – including actions in past lives – lead to events, something over which a person has no control in terms of the past. However, Karma is changeable, in accord with a person’s current actions of “body, speech and mind.” In this world-view, a better future may be predicted if a person is an active practitioner. The meditation practices commonly used have been empirically associated with psychological wellbeing in general.
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PTSD in Returning Soldiers: Guilt and Witnessing Harm to Others, Joanna Morgan, Lynn E. O’Connor, Jack W. Berry, David J. Stiver, Vansen Wong, and Ngoc-Diem Nguyend.
Abstract
In an anonymous online study of 79 active members or veterans of the US Military (77.2% male; 81% Caucasian; 45.5% enlisted, 44.1% officers), we investigated the relationship between empathy-based guilt (survivor and omnipotent responsibility guilt), depression, satisfaction with life, and scores on a measure of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We expected PTSD to be associated with empathy-based guilt, and that soldiers who witnessed harm happening to others would experience negative psychological outcomes at least to the same degree or more, than those who were harmed themselves.
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Association for Psychological Science, Annual Convention, May 22-25, 2009, San Francisco

Posters

Green Guilt and Green Behavior Associated With Better Mental Health, Manisha Masher Sudindranath, Lynn E. O’Connor, Jack W. Berry, David J. Stiver, Suluck Chaturabuland and Reeta L. Banerjeee.
Abstract
In this anonymous online study of 220 participants, we found “green guilt” significantly associated with self-reported environmentally conscious behavior. “Green guilt” and “green behavior” were associated with good mental health, and negatively associated with depression, anxiety and neuroticism. In an experimental component of the study, two stories about workshops designed to raise consciousness about environmental issues were presented. In one condition, students were encouraged to think about their own behaviors, privately. In a second condition, students were forced to publicly “confess” their green or non-green behaviors. Participants, randomly assigned to one of the two conditions, were asked to write about the stories. When these narratives were compared on the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program (LIWC; Pennebaker), it was found that responses to the private condition contained significantly more positive emotion words.
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Responses to Corporate Lay-Offs: Survivor Guilt in the Workplace, Lynn E. O’Connor, Jack W. Berry, David J. Stiver and Suluck Chaturabuld.
Abstract
In an online experimental study, participants responded to workplace scenarios in which the main character was promoted at work, while a secondary character was laid off. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four scenarios, which varied only by the relationship closeness of the characters: siblings, friends, acquaintances, or rivals. With increased relationship closeness, the main character was described as displaying significantly less positive affect and significantly more guilt, negative affect, and empathy, as well as more expressions of self-sacrifice and desires to help the laid off coworker.
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Development and Evaluation of the Dispositional Altruism Scale, Jack W. Berry, Lynn E. O’Connor, David J. Stiver and Patrice Crisostomos.
Abstract
The centrality of altruism in human evolution is increasingly recognized. Most prior research on dispositional altruism has used the Self-Report Altruism Scale (Johnson et al., 1989). Across cultures, males have scored higher than females on the SRAS. We found that many items in the SRAS show differential item functioning indicating bias against female test-takers. The biased items reflect altruistic actions requiring substantial physical effort or courageous public displays. In attempting to measure altruism without gender bias, we adapted the Social Support Behaviors Scale (Vaux et al., 1989), which assesses social support received from family and friends. We reversed the roles in the scales, changing the wording to express the frequency with which the test-taker provides support to others. We added a subscale for altruism toward strangers. The present study provides the initial psychometric evaluation of this new instrument, the Dispositional Altruism Scale.
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Western Psychological Association, May 3-6, 2007, Vancouver, B.C.

Posters

From left, Amanda Hume, Patrice S. Crisotomo, and Suluck Chaturabul, University of California-Berkeley

Interpersonal Guilt, Empathy, and Depression in Filipino Americans, Patrice Crisostomo, Amanda Hume, Suluck Chaturabul, and Lynn E. O’Connor.
Abstract
A sample of Filipino Americans (n=27), an ethnic group often ignored in mental health research, was compared to a sample of other Asian American (n=60) and European American (n=267) participants. Initial comparisons between Filipino and other Asian Americans found no difference between groups on subscales of guilt, empathy, and altruism. However, comparisons on these constructs between Asian Americans and European Americans showed significant differences. Guilt predicted altruistic behavior towards family, friends and strangers in European Americans while it only predicted altruism towards family in Asian Americans. Ethnic identity and cultural values may mediate the role of guilt in prosocial behavior, playing a more central role in European Americans. Interpersonal guilt may therefore be an especially salient factor in serving a prosocial function for those of European American descent. Further cross-cultural studies are needed to enhance our understanding of the function of guilt in both prosocial behavior and in common mental illnesses.
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Human Behavior and Evolution Society, June 2007, Williamsburg, VA.

Film screening and discussion of documentary Kindness of strangers, Lynn O’Connor, David S. Wilson, and Herb Gintis. P. Richerson (Chair), Kindness in film. Symposium.
For The Kindness of Strangers, a compelling documentary, produced in the wake of the Asian Tsunami, that provides a powerful and moving report into the science of compassion. Observational and character driven, the film uses strong personal journeys and leading scientists to provide a unique and ultimately encouraging insight into the mysteries of altruism and the true nature of mankind. Broadcast on ABC TV on 20 August 2006. 2007 winner Science Journalism, Australiam Museum.

Western Psychological Association, April 27-30, 2006, Palm Springs

Posters

Comparing vulnerability to distress among bisexual, homosexual and heterosexual women, Sara Liepe, Lauren Jenson, Jack Berry and Lynn E. O’Connor.
Abstract
This study compares 29 homosexual, 74 bisexual, and 546 heterosexual women using six measures of psychopathology. Demographicsgathered included ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, self-described current psychiatric disorders, and use of psychoactive medications.In addition, two clinicians summarized diagnostic information provided by participants, and estimated a primary and secondary diagnosis when appropriate. Results demonstrated no differences between homosexual and heterosexual women on any of the variables. Bisexual women, however, scored significantly higher than did heterosexual women on Low-Serotonin, Depression, Survivor Guilt, and Neuroticism. Bisexual women also scored significantly higher than homosexual women on Low-Serotonin, Depression, and Neuroticism. These results suggest that bisexual women are at higher risk for psychopathology.
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Empathy-based guilt and responses to terrorism:memories two months later, Marisa Rainey, Amanda Hume, Jennifer Warner, and Lynn O'Connor.
Abstract
While the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th changed the lives of most Americans, including those who neither lived near the event nor had friends or relatives directly impacted, some people appear to have suffered more extreme and protracted effects from the terrorist attacks than others. Using an instrument measuring Responses to Terrorism with subscales of Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior we found that participants who rated higher in negative emotions were significantly higher in proneness to survivor guilt, broadly defined. Using narratives written by the participants in response to open-ended questions, we found worry about others predicted fear and obsessional thinking.
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The Impact of Diversity on Evolved Emotional Capacities: Empathy, Guilt, and Altruism Across Cultures, Patrice S. Crisotomo, Arleen S. Ramos and Lynn O'Connor.
Abstract
Our findings suggest that there are cultural and religious variations in the motivations for altruism. We found that Empathic Concern and Survivor Guilt significantly predict altruism towards strangers, across cultures, although the mean level of these empathy related variables may differ in different ethnic and religious groups. Furthermore, in this and prior studies, we have found that gender and age may have an effect on acts of altruism, across cultures, and the most motivating of emotions, survivor guilt, may serve as a mediator in the relationship between empathy, and acts of altruism.
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Papers

Neurotransmitter Attributes Questionnaire and another perspective on psychopathology, Lynn O'Connor.
Abstract
In this study 901 participants completed an Internet-based survey, including the Neurotransmitter Attributes Questionnaire (NAQ), indicating serotonergic or dopaminergic dysfunction. Standard measures of mental disorders and self-reported diagnoses were used to validate the NAQ subscales. NAQ items were derived from questions prescribing professionals commonly ask new patients when determining the class of medication likely to be most helpful. The NAQ provides a method of screening patients whose symptoms call for psychopharmacological along with psychosocial treatments. Variations in mood and anxiety disordered patients call for a case-specific approach to pharmacological treatment; some patients are best helped by serotonergic agonists, others by dopaminergic agonists, and some by both. The NAQ was designed to aid decision-making early in treatment, leading to greater compliance and better outcome. Reliability and validity were established for each subscale. The NAQ may be used to standardize protocols in outcome research, and provide a new perspective on personality studies.