Nelson-Coffey et al., 2017: Performing acts of kindness to specific others reduced genomic activty related to inflammation among adults over five weeks
Reference:
Nelson-Coffey, S. K., Fritz, M. M., Lyubomirsky, S., & Cole, S. W. (2017). Kindness in the blood: A randomized controlled trial of the gene regulatory impact of prosocial behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 81, 8-13.
Download PDFSummary:
Asking a community sample to perform acts of kindness for specific others weekly for four weeks reduced leukocyte expression of CTRA indicator genes from baseline to week 5, a potential mechanism of reduced disease risk. Isolating the effect of prosocial behavior, this effect was found relative to both a control condition and conditions where people were instructed to perform acts of kindness for themselves or for the world.
Psychological Process:
Need
Need to BelongWhat Desired Meaning is At Stake?
What is the Person Trying to Understand?
To Feel Connected, Included, Respected, and Valued by OthersHow?
Psychological Question Addressed
Am I connected to others?Am I connected to others?Bolstering beliefs about social connectednessPsychological Question Addressed
Am I connected to others?Psychological Process 2:
Psychological Process 3:
Heading
Am I connected to others?Social Area:
Health
Intervention Technique:
Prompting by altering situations