Karpman Drama Triangle

The Karpman Drama Triangle (developed by Stephen Karpman in the late 1960s) describes a dysfunctional relational pattern in which individuals unconsciously adopt one of three roles: Victim, Persecutor, or Rescuer. These roles reinforce cycles of blame, powerlessness and conflict in personal and organizational settings. The model highlights how reactive behavioral strategies—often rooted in early survival patterns—sustain drama dynamics. Transformative approaches such as The Empowerment Dynamic (TED) propose shifting from these roles toward more empowered positions (Creator, Challenger, Coach), fostering responsibility, resilience and healthier relationships.

On the Difficulties People Have in Dealing With Complexity

In On the Difficulties People Have in Dealing with Complexity (1980), Dietrich Dörner shows through computer-simulated experiments (e.g., the “Lohhausen” city model) that individuals systematically struggle with complex systems. Typical patterns include linear instead of systemic thinking, failure to understand exponential dynamics, reduced self-reflection under stress, oversimplified “reductive” explanations, and increased risk-taking. The study highlights how cognitive overload and loss of control can lead to poor decision-making and even socially destructive outcomes.

On the Logic of Failure: Thinking, Planning and Decision Making in Uncertainity and Complexity.

Unlike other living creatures, humans can adapt to uncertainty. They can form hypotheses about situations marked by uncertainty and can anticipate their actions by planning. They can expect the unexpected and take precautions against it. In numerous experiments, we have investigated the manner in which humans deal with these demands. In these experiments, we used computer simulated scenarios representing, for example, a small town, ecological or economic systems or political systems such as a Third World country. Within these computer-simulated scenarios, the subjects had to look for information, plan actions, form hypotheses, etc.

Prof. Peter Kruse on Creativity – How It Is Suppressed and How It Emerges Description:

In this interview excerpt, Peter Kruse explains why creativity and innovation cannot be directly produced or commanded. Instead, he frames creativity as an emergent phenomenon that arises from specific systemic conditions rather than from individual effort or top-down control.

A core argument of the talk is the distinction between direct and indirect variables: culture, creativity, and innovation are indirect variables that cannot be managed through projects or instructions. They only emerge when appropriate enabling environments are created. According to Kruse, key enabling factors include diversity, internal tension, networks, and non-linear feedback loops. Systems that are overly harmonious and uniform tend to be stable but unintelligent, whereas systems that allow contradiction, disturbance, and difference can enter unstable phases where new patterns—and thus creativity—can emerge.

Drawing on systems theory, neuroscience, and swarm intelligence, Kruse argues that complex, dynamic problems can only be addressed by systems with an equivalent level of complexity (referencing Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety). He highlights the importance of networking as a way to increase complexity and collective intelligence.

In the final part, Kruse describes three key roles within creative networks—Creators, Owners, and Brokers—and compares their interaction to functional components of the human brain. When these roles are effectively connected, the collective intelligence of the system exceeds the sum of individual intelligences.

The video offers a profound systems-theoretical perspective on creativity, innovation, organizational design, and collective intelligence, making it highly relevant for leadership, management, transformation processes, and social change.

Safe Spaces in Unsafe Environments – Facilitating Dialogue and Reflection at the UN Climate Conference

This blog presents insights from designing and facilitating spaces for dialogue and reflection at UN Climate Conferences. Drawing on experiences from the Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Spaces (CCRDS) hosted at COPs, the authors show how relationship-building, embodied practices, and reflexive facilitation can foster trust, mutual learning, and constructive exchange across diverse stakeholder groups. The article offers practical lessons on transdisciplinary process knowledge and highlights the importance of relational and facilitative approaches for collaboration in politically contested and high-pressure settings.

Organizational Transformation in the European Commission

This blog explores organizational transformation within the European Commission, focusing on emerging participatory leadership practices and new approaches to collaboration in political administration. Drawing on an exchange between the TranS-Mind research group and the European Commission’s Centre for Organisational Transformation, the authors reflect on how rigid administrative structures can be reshaped to better address complex sustainability challenges. The article highlights the role of dialogue, co-creation, and capacity building in fostering healthier, more resilient, and adaptive work environments within large public institutions.

Fear and trust in UN climate policy at UNFCCC COP27

This blog explores the role of fear and trust as inner dimensions shaping communication, agency, and collaboration in UN climate policy, using COP27 as a case study. Drawing on research and practical experience from the Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Spaces (CCRDS), the authors examine how political spaces can be designed to consciously address emotions, values, and worldviews that are usually sidelined in formal negotiations. The article argues that engaging with fear and trust through reflective and dialogic formats can strengthen collective agency, improve the culture of communication at UN Climate Conferences, and support more transformative approaches to climate governance.

Confronting fears – Strengthening trust

This blog introduces the Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Space (CCRDS) at UN Climate Conferences as an experimental format to address fear, mistrust, and emotional overload in climate negotiations. Drawing on experiences from COP24–COP26 and preparing for COP27, the authors reflect on how consciously designed spaces for dialogue, reflection, and co-creation can strengthen trust, agency, and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The article highlights the importance of engaging inner dimensions such as emotions, values, and mindsets to improve the culture of communication and support more transformative approaches to global climate action.

Mindfulness as a Pathway to Greater Climate-Sensitivity

This blog explores mindfulness as an inner pathway toward greater climate sensitivity and more sustainable lifestyles. Critically engaging with technological and efficiency-focused approaches to climate mitigation, the article argues that sustainability also requires a cultural shift toward sufficiency and value-based living. Drawing on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and sustainability research, it shows how mindfulness practices can enhance self-awareness, reduce consumerist patterns, and help close the gap between environmental knowledge and everyday behaviour, thereby supporting deeper societal transformation in line with climate goals.

Mental Dispositions and Sustainability: An Interview with Gerald Hüther

This blog presents an interview with neuroscientist Gerald Hüther on the role of mental dispositions in fostering sustainability. Drawing on insights from neurobiology, Hüther links patterns of resource consumption to the quality of human relationships and argues that sustainability transformations depend less on changing behaviour directly than on enabling experiences that shape values, coherence, and well-being. The article highlights how cultivating supportive social environments and inner capacities can reduce surrogate needs, lower resource use, and contribute to a culture of cooperation and co-creation aligned with long-term sustainability goals.

The Dependence of Sustainability on the Degree of Fear and Aspiration: Q&A with David Mitchell

This blog presents a Q&A with atmospheric chemist and Vedic scholar David Mitchell, exploring how fear and aspiration shape human behaviour and influence pathways toward sustainability. Drawing on concepts from the Vedic tradition, the interview discusses how inner states of consciousness, spiritual practices, and the cultivation of aspiration can reduce fear-driven consumption and support more sustainable lifestyles. The article contributes to debates on sustainability transformation by linking inner development, awareness, and fulfilment to reduced resource use and long-term societal change.

Psychology in China

In this podcast episode of ChinaConnect – Your Guide for Research and Transfer, we speak with Dr. FANG Man, psychologist and psychotherapist trained in China and Germany, about the evolution and practice of psychology in China. With over 20 years of experience, she shares insights into the field’s development—from early Western and German influences, through disruption during the Cultural Revolution, to today’s efforts to localise psychological theory and practice.
The discussion explores how cultural factors such as “face,” relationships, and harmony shape the expression of psychological distress, as well as the integration of Western clinical methods with traditional Chinese practices like body-based therapies and TCM. The episode also addresses rising mental health diagnoses among young people in urban China and ongoing debates around medicalisation. Drawing on her work in trauma and disaster response, Dr. Fang compares strengths of emergency psychological support systems in China and Germany.

CIRCLE

CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry is a research and action initiative devoted to the advancement of Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership, and Emotional well-being. We exist to address the mental health impacts of climate change in inclusive ways that support groups and communities, with a specialization in climate distress and the co-design and evaluation of interventions with impacted communities. We envision a world in which community members, clinicians, and other mental health professionals understand and feel capable of helping to solve the growing mental health crisis within the climate crisis.

Grand Theory of Societal Advancement

Grand Theory of Societal Advancement
A comprehensive theory, a historic echo of our first version of civilization formed from the Neolithic package of upgrades. Comprised of specialized works from a broad spectrum of fields of study and independent researchers. The overarching goal of GTSA is to provide humanity with the necessary tools and systems for enhanced global cooperation, innovation, and unity, particularly in navigating the challenges of the 21st century and the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene is a major adaptation in our evolutionary journey of civilization:
a. Civilization 1.0: Marked by the stability and developments of the Neolithic Package, representing the dawn of structured human society.
b. The Industrial Age: Characterized by significant technological and industrial advancements.
c. The Great Acceleration: A period of rapid development with both benefits and challenges, marking a significant leap in human capability and impact.
d. Civilization 1.95: Defined by persistent crises, highlighting the need for a significant shift in societal management.
e. Civilization 2.0: The ultimate goal of GTSA, aiming for enhanced societal functioning and problem-solving.

the school of nothing

the school of nothing is investigating the realm of nothing.
As an applied research project it develops and implements artistic and scientific interventions in the public space and open performances | workshops for people being interested into exploring the qualities conntected to nothing, e.g. nothingness, silence, emptiness, darkness, pause, serenity, Lassenskraft, waiting, withdrawing, contemplation, doing nothing, leisure

Bruhn, Isabella

I am writing this text about myself and it is not exactly easy.

The most amazing compliment ever, was given to me by my teacher Gary Friedman who said he had never seen such integrity.
It is a very special and no light compliment but I handle it with great respect and care.

It describes how I try to approach my clients as they offer me their trust in the midst of their life crisis.

So with the appreciation of their confidence in me, I try to stay respectfull and be honest about myself. I keep them informed, I share my intuitions, I hold but do not control, I do not manipulate by using methods, and I try to envision their system outside in and inside out.

I love life, I love this world, and I deeply believe in the inner strength of our eco system.

I am mother of 2, an occasional farmers market apple seller to get some balance in my work life, a gardener and very happy about my bicycle :)))

Muten, Erik

Kailo Mentoring Group serves to integrate Ego & Soul through individual, couples, families, groups, & organizations. Erik work/plays with his life and business partner, Amelia Perkins (www.ameliaperkins.com)

Erik has been a Psychologist for over 35 years and spent over 30,000 hours exploring both the the conscious and unconscious patterns in people and organizations. He has consulted to some of the biggest corporations in the world on Emotional Intelligence as well as non-profits and family businesses.

With individuals, Erik mentors them in the Socratic Method with the assumption that the people seeking out his services are willing to take responsibility for creating the story of their lives. Erik believes that each individual has the responsibly to be their Unique Self. At the age of 67, he now only work/plays with people who are consciously focusing on their Agency in the world and their Connection. Erik spends most of his time in individual mentoring sessions, leading seminars, and mentoring ‘high performance teams’.

Erik loves his profession and his work in the world. While taking into consideration the ‘big picture’, most of what he does is practical and draws on his experience in participating and creating the forms and forums for transformation. Erik is an applied researcher and has gathered many ‘maps’ to guide himself and others into the unconscious epigenetic patterns that can rule lives if not explored and uncovered.

Mues, Andreas

Andreas Mues works for the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) where he has been involved particularly in the studies on nature awareness (Naturbewusstsein) and the connection between mindfulness and nature protection.

Herrmann, Lukas

Lukas investigates the cultivation of generative social fields through long-term whole-school co-creation processes based on a training program in 3 elementary schools with over 1,000 school kids in Berlin, Germany. The training program addresses in particular the schools’ 180 teachers by developing their mindfulness, empathy, and relational competence. Furthermore, Lukas works with Peter Senge and Mette Böll from the center for systems awareness to foster systems change within the education sector in California.

Die harte Landung der Achtsamkeit in der westlichen Konsumkultur

Das aus dem Buddhismus stammende Konzept der Achtsamkeit bettet sich nach und nach in die verschiedenen Lebensbereiche der westlichen Kultur ein. Was bedeutet dieser Kontextwechsel in einer von Konsum geprägten Gesellschaft? Welche Potenziale der Meditation an sich und des “mindfulness-movements” im Allgemeinen lassen sich hinsichtlich einer ökologisch-nachhaltigen Zukunft festmachen? Und vor allem: welche Gefahren birgt dieser Prozess? In der Bachelorarbeit “Die harte Landung der Achtsamkeit in der westlichen Konsumkultur” werden die Wechselwirkungen, welche zwischen den westlichen Adaptionen der Achtsamkeit und den Entwicklungen der Konsumgesellschaft bestehen, analysiert und kritisch beleuchtet. Die Verfasserin nimmt dabei abwechselnd eine anthropologische, philosophische und soziologische Betrachtungsweise ein.

Hoppmann, Janna

Janna Hoppmann isthe founder of Climate Mind. She suports people and organizations in developing psychologically strategies for dealing with challenges related to climate change.

Ruf, Stefan

Wir verfolgen das Ziel, jungen Menschen in einer seelischen Krisensituation einen tragfähigen Wohn- und Arbeitsort in Form einer therapeutischen Wohngemeinschaft (TWG) zu verschaffen. Wir wollen einen Ort schaffen, an dem neben einem Wohnkonzept weitere Therapie, Prozesse der Nachreifung und gesunde Begegnungen möglich sind. Zielsetzung ist, den jungen Menschen durch das Erleben von sinnvoller Tätigkeit, die pädagogisch und psychotherapeutisch begleitet wird, eine Lebensplattform zu bieten, die gleichzeitig therapeutisch und entwicklungsfördernd ist. Eingebettet in ein haltgebendes, strukturschaffendes pädagogisches Jugendwohnen sollen mit Hilfe der intensiven therapeutischen Arbeit die jungen Menschen lernen, die Anforderungen des Alltags zunehmend selbstständig und selbstsicher zu bewältigen.

Bornemann, Boris

Ich interessiere mich für Emotionen und Bewusstsein – und welchen Einfluss Meditation und Achtsamkeit darauf haben können. Ich forsche dazu mit Methoden der Psychologie, Neurowissenschaft und Phänomenologie. Ich betreibe Meditation seit vielen Jahren und unterrichte sie in verschiedenen Kontexten. Gerne helfe ich Ihnen oder Ihrem Unternehmen dabei, einen einfachen und hilfreichen Zugang zu Meditation und Achtsamkeit zu finden.

taken from https://www.borisbornemann.de/

Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification

“Can we hold hope that positive psychology will be able to help people evolvetoward their highest potential?” The classification described in this bookbegan with this question, posed by Neal Mayerson to Martin Seligman in 1999.The Mayerson Foundation was concerned that inadequate progress was beingmade from well-worn problem-fixing approaches and that an approach basedon recognizing people’s strengths and aspirations might prove more effective.Mayerson turned to Seligman to explore the intersection of the emerging fieldof positive youth development and Seligman’s new push to articulate a newpositive psychology. It soon became clear that two prior questions needed tobe answered: (1) how can one define the concepts of “strength” and “highestpotential” and (2) how can one tell that a positive youth development programhas succeeded in meeting its goals?”

(from the preface of the book)

Contemplative practices in action: Spirituality, meditation, and health.

“This book seeks to provide a scholarly and multidisciplinary approach on the topic of contemplative practices for the development of well-being, wisdom, healing, and stress management that includes state-of-the-art science, practice, and applications of contemplative practices in the professional workplace, educational settings, pastoral care, and medical, psychological, or other health care interventions. The chapters articulate current findings and practice in contemplative practices from a wide range of religious and spiritual traditions and from experts in the integration of contemplative practices and psychology, nursing, pastoral care, business, and so forth in order to achieve well-being.”

(Source. The book’s preface)

A new psychology for sustainable leadership: the hidden power of ecological worldviews

“During the last decade, the sustainability position in multinational corporations has grown in influence. Much literature has explored how corporations can play an important role in solving the environmental challenges facing the planet. However, until now, there has been little research on sustainability leadership at the individual level. In this book, Schein explores the deeper psychological motivations of sustainability leaders. He shows how these motivations relate to overall effectiveness and capacity to lead transformational change and he explores the ways in which the complexity of sustainability is driving new approaches to leadership.

Drawing on interviews with 75 leaders in more than 40 multinational corporations and NGOs, Schein explores how ecological and post-conventional worldviews are developed and expressed in the context of global sustainability practice. By empirically grounding key theories from developmental psychology, integral ecology, and eco-psychology in sustainability leadership practice, the author encourages us to think about leadership in a different way.

A New Psychology for Sustainability Leadership will be of interest to an interdisciplinary audience of educators, students, corporate executives, social science researchers, and concerned citizens. The insights from this book can be usefully integrated into leadership curriculum and development programs to help the next generation of leaders respond to global challenges.”

(Source: http://steveschein.net/books/a-new-psychology-for-sustainability-leadership/overview/)

Integral Yoga at Work – A Study of Practitioner’s Experiences Working in Four Professional Fields

“Formerly a research psychologist in the USA, the author conducted a qualitative study of sixteen long-term practitioners of the Integral Yoga working in the fields of business management, education, health care, and the arts. Initial chapters frame his research methodology and examine some general findings regarding the participants’ practice of the Yoga in work. Results of the study in each field are based largely on interviews with the participants, and include textual references from the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and the author’s reflections on central themes and common experiences. The final chapter identifies the various principles and insights regarding the application of Integral Yoga in these four professional fields and presents some of the broader implications of the study.”

An Integral Theory of Consciousness

“Abstract: An extensive data search among various types of developmental and evolutionary sequences yielded a `four quadrant’ model of consciousness and its development (the four quadrants being intentional, behavioural, cultural, and social). Each of these dimensions was found to unfold in a sequence of at least a dozen major stages or levels. Combining the four quadrants with the dozen or so major levels in each quadrant yields an integral theory of consciousness that is quite comprehensive in its nature and scope. This model is used to indicate how a general synthesis and integration of twelve of the most influential schools of consciousness studies can be effected, and to highlight some of the most significant areas of future research. The conclusion is that an `all-quadrant, all-level’ approach is the minimum degree of sophistication that we need into order to secure anything resembling a genuinely integral theory of consciousness.”

The Bridge

RESEARCH EXCHANGES IN AUROVILLE

Auroville is the largest and longest-standing intentional community in the world, practically researching into the evolutionary potential of humankind, developing award-winning transformational practices across fields of culture, economics, governance, education, environment, and health, recognized by UNESCO, the Indian Government, and major industries such as Tata. Visiting researchers can bridge this future-facing body of experimentation with developments in their fields worldwide, for the benefit of humanity as a whole.

WHO WE ARE

The Bridge promotes exchange between Auroville and visiting researchers similarly dedicated to the progress of human society.
We curate presentations and forums that facilitate exchange and the intiation of collaborative projects between Aurovilian and visiting experts.

WHO ARE YOU?

Are you an Aurovilian or visiting expert – in any field? We invite you to offer a presentation of your work.
Contact: thebridge@auroville.org.in
Are you an Auroville community member, volunteer, or visitor? You are welcome to attend our public events series!

Lilley, Rachel

Rachel has worked for over 20 years in social and environmental change as Director of a social enterprise, trainer, consultant and communications expert. In recent years she has worked in Ceredigion locally on community engagement and domestic energy efficiency. She has developed and delivered consultancy and training interventions for Welsh Government, WWF, Ceredigion County Council, Ogilvy Mather amongst others. Her work and research interests are supporting effective and human centred change through developing the psychological capacity of policy and other change makers and leaders. This includes utilising the capacity and understanding of mindfulness and behavioural insights to support effective decision making and project/policy design.

Climate Compassion

Climate Compassion is a way of responding to the socio-ecological challenges of our times withcompassionate action. We aim to be a node of mutual flourishing, that shifts culture toward a life-sustaining society. Climate compassion extends beyond environmental climate to a social climate of equity and justice through cultivating inclusion, love, respect, and dignity for all. 

Through community events, workshops and trainings, Climate Compassion inspires widening circles of compassionate action, rippling from self-compassion to taking action for the benefit of our human family and the web of life, for current and future generations. 

We offer:

​Community events, such as salons featuring thought leaders that provide an opportunity to break bread and develop meaningful connections among participants

  • Resilience Incubators that help to develop the resilience practices to sustain us through the challenges of the transition to a life-sustaining society

  • Workshops and Trainings on a variety of topics, from Bystander Intervention to transformative practice and leadership

  • Consulting for organizations engaged in life-enhancing work

Taken from https://www.climatecompassion.org/about

Carbon Conversations

Carbon Conversations was started by Rosemary Randall, a psychotherapist, and Andy Brown an engineer. Drawing on Rosemary’s therapeutic experience with groups and Andy’s technical expertise they created a unique psycho-social project that addresses the practicalities of carbon reduction while taking account of the complex emotions and social pressures that make this difficult.

Between 2006 and 2010 the project was hosted by the charity Cambridge Carbon Footprint. From 2011 to 2012 it found a home with the Oxford charity, Climate Outreach and from 2013 to March 2017 it was managed by the Surefoot Effect Community Interest Company. We think that over two thousand people may have participated in facilitated Carbon Conversations groups in the UK.

A number of projects around the world have also used Carbon Conversations, including groups in Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, France, Finland and Spain.

Over the years the project produced detailed, professionally designed materials on carbon reduction, culminating in the publication of the book In Time for Tomorrow? in 2015. The project also developed considerable expertise and materials on the psychology of climate change and the use of small groups to help people overcome their fears and defensiveness in dealing with it. These materials can all be downloaded from this website.

The project is indebted to all those who helped in its development and use over the years but we should particularly mention Shilpa Shah whose work for the Akashi project developed its use of personal testimony, Peter Harper who generously contributed his expertise on carbon calculation and the three organisations who successively hosted it – Cambridge Carbon Footprint, Climate Outreach and Surefoot

Initiative Psychologie im Umweltschutz e.V.

Die Initiative Psychologie im Umweltschutz e.V. (IPU) ist ein bundesweiter Verein von Studierenden und Berufstätigen, die das Ziel der Förderung des Umweltschutzes mit den Mitteln der Psychologie verfolgen.

Künkel, Petra

Petra Kuenkel is a full member of the Club of Rome, an accomplished author and a leading strategic advisor to pioneering international multi-stakeholder initiatives that address complex sustainability issues. In 2005 she co-founded the Collective Leadership Institute a not-for-profit social enterprise that promotes the scaling-up of collaboration skills globally for change agents who have the sustainability of this world and the future of humankind as their focus. With more than 1800 Alumni the institute has built collaboration competence for change agents from public sector, private sector and civil society around the globe.

With the Institute and her ground-breaking conceptual work in stakeholder collaboration and collective leadership she brings a strong female voice not only to the Club of Rome, but also to the way international initiatives for sustainability and large systems change are designed. Her focus is on empowering people to make multi-stakeholder collaboration effective in addressing complex global and local challenges. She advocates for an approach to tackling complex sustainability challenges that models successful patterns of collaborative human interaction.

Her mission is to identify and disseminate knowledge about success factors for individual and institutional collaboration at scale – to find solutions to complex challenges such as water scarcity, environmental degradation, climate change impact, social tension, or unsustainable value chains. She raises awareness for the potential of collaborative inventiveness and invigorates the human competences to change the current state of affairs towards an agenda of sustainability.

As an expert of dialogue she contributes her profound experience for making dialogue and stakeholder engagement action-oriented to ensure real-time change in people’s behaviour as well as tangible results. She is a pioneering thinker on re-inventing leadership as a collective competence of a group of leaders that catalyse positive change for the common good.

She fosters mind-set change among decision-makers and has developed a methodology for invigorating human competences that foster result-oriented and value-based collaboration for the common good. Petra Kuenkel is part of an international think tank on large system’s change and co-founder of the Partnering Alliance, an initiative aiming at improving the quality of partnering for sustainability between the public sector, the private sector and civil society.

Prior to the founding of the Collective Leadership Institute she facilitated value-based leadership development programs for executives from multinational companies and held a management position at an international development Organisation.

Hunecke, Marcel

Prof. Dr. Marcel Hunecke ist Umweltpsychologe. Interessengebiet unter anderem die Erforschung kontemplativer Praxis für Nachhaltigkeit.

Mindfulness and sustainable behavior – pondering attention and awareness as means for increasing green behavior.

Ecopsychologists have suggested that mindful awareness of our interdependence with nature may not only help us regain our lost, ecologically embedded identity (Roszak, 1992) but may also help us behave more sustainably, closing the documented gap between proenvironmental attitudes and behaviors. We suggest more specifically that, in contemporary consumer culture with its dearth of proenvironmental norms and cues, mindful attentiveness may be necessary to develop sustainable habits. To explore the connection between mindfulness and sustainable behavior, we measured 100 adults attending a Midwestern sustainability expo on two mindfulness factors: acting with awareness and observing sensations. As predicted, acting with awareness was significantly positively correlated with self-reported sustainable behavior. This finding is consistent with the idea that, until sustainable decisions become the societal default, their enactment may depend on focused consideration of options and mindful behavior. In contrast, observing sensations did not predict behavior. This calls into question the notion that feeling connected to the world outside of ourselves is a precondition for sustainable action. We call for more research to further test the validity and generalizability of our findings.

The empathic brain: how, when and why?

Recent imaging results suggest that individuals automatically share the emotions of others when exposed to their emotions. We question the assumption of the automaticity and propose a contextual approach, suggesting several modulatory factors that might influence empathic brain responses. Contextual appraisal could occur early in emotional cue evaluation, which then might or might not lead to an empathic brain response, or not until after an empathic brain response is automatically elicited. We propose two major roles for empathy; its epistemological role is to provide information about the future actions of other people, and important environmental properties. Its social role is to serve as the origin of the motivation for cooperative and prosocial behavior, as well as help for effective social communication. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in materialism, changes in psychological well-being: Evidence from three longitudinal studies and an intervention experiment

Few studies have examined how changes in materialism relate to changes in well-being; fewer have experimentally manipulated materialism to change well- being. Studies 1, 2, and 3 examined how changes in materialistic aspirations related to changes in well-being, using varying time frames (12 years, 2 years, and 6 months), samples (US young adults and Icelandic adults), and measures of materialism and well-being. Across all three studies, results supported the hypothesis that people’s well-being improves as they place relatively less impor- tance on materialistic goals and values, whereas orienting toward materialistic goals relatively more is associated with decreases in well-being over time. Study 2 addition- ally demonstrated that this association was mediated by changes in psychological need satisfaction. A fourth, experimental study showed that highly materialistic US adolescents who received an intervention that decreased materialism also experienced increases in self-esteem over the next several months, relative to a control group. Thus, well-being changes as people change their relative focus on materialistic goals.

Global Consciousness Change: Indicators of an Emerging Paradigm

Is the global communications revolution fostering a new global consciousness? What is the extent of humanity’s global ecological awareness and concern? Is there a shift underway toward “postmodern” social values? Is a new kind of experiential or first-hand spirituality emerging? Is there a shift underway toward more sustainable ways of living?

http://duaneelgin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/global_consciousness.pdf

Contemplative Sustainable Futures

Humanity is facing increasingly complex environmental and sustainability challenges. Current coordination mechanisms, problem-solving strategies, and modes of scientific inquiry, teaching and learning appear insufficient to address these challenges. As a result, inner transition (embodied in notions such as mindfulness and compassion) is emerging as a potential new area of exploration. The “Contemplative Sustainable Futures Program” was set up to explore this new area and create space and opportunities for learning, networking and knowledge development on this topic. In this context, special attention is given to the issue of – what we call –  ‘mindful climate adaptation and risk reduction’.

taken from https://www.lucsus.lu.se/research/urban-governance/contemplative-sustainable-futures

Center for Compassion And Altruism Research And Education

While science has made great strides in treating pathologies of the human mind, far less research exists to date on positive qualities of the human mind including compassion, altruism and empathy. Yet these prosocial traits are innate to us and lie at the very centerpiece of our common humanity. Our capacity to feel compassion has ensured the survival and thriving of our species over millennia. For this reason, the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine was founded in 2008 with the explicit goal of promoting, supporting, and conducting rigorous scientific studies of compassion and altruistic behavior. Founded and directed by Dr. James Doty, Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery, CCARE is established within the Department of Neurosurgery. To date, CCARE has collaborated with a number of prominent neuroscientists, behavioral scientists, geneticists and biomedical researchers to closely examine the physiological and psychological correlates of compassion and altruism.

From presence to consciousness through virtual reality

Immersive virtual environments can break the deep everyday connection between where our senses tell us that we are and where we actually are located and whom we are with. ‘Presence research’ studi es the phenomenon of acting and feeling that we are in the world created by computer displays. We argue that presence is a phenomenon worthy of study by neuroscientists and may help towards the study of consci ousness, since it may be regarded as consciousness within a restricted domain.

Psychology and consumer culture: The struggle for a good life in a materialistic world

Psychology and Consumer Culture provides an in-depth psychological analysis of consumerism that draws from a wide range of theoretical, clinical, and methodological approaches. The contributors to this edited volume demonstrate that consumerism and the culture that surrounds it exert profound and often undesirable effects on both people’s individual lives and on society as a whole. Far from being distant influences, advertising, consumption, materialism, and the capitalistic economic system affect personal, social, and ecological well being on many levels.

Authors address consumerism’s effect on everything from culture, ethnicity, and childhood development to consciousness, gender roles, identity, work stress, and psychopathology. Contributors provide a variety of potential interventions for counteracting the negative influence of consumerism on individuals and on society. The book makes a strong case that, despite psychology’s past reticence to investigate issues related to consumerism, such topics are crucial to understanding human life in the contemporary age.