Social Neuroscience Perspectives on Empathy and Compassion

ABOUT THIS CLASS: Recently, the nascent field of social neuroscience has provided research evidence concerning processes contributing to empathy and compassion. The talk will explore this body of research and examine its relationship to traditions that endeavor to cultivate compassion.

EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Temple Chai

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Kaszniak is Professor of Psychology, Neurolgy, and Psychiatry and is currently Director of the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium Education Core, Director of the Neuropsychology, Emotion, and Meditation Laboratory, Faculty and Advisory Board member of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute. He is the co-author or editor of seven books, including the three-volume Toward a Science of Consciousness (MIT Press), and Emotions, Qualia, and Consciousness (World Scientific). His research, published in over 155 journal articles and scholarly book chapters, has been supported by grants from the U.S. National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Science Foundation, as well as several private foundations and institutes. His work has focused on the neuropsychology of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related neurological disorders, cognition and emotion in healthy aging, consciousness, memory self-monitoring, emotion, and the psychophysiology of long-term and short-term meditation.