Feeling Connected
The participant will take 10 minutes to write about someone who they have a strong bond with and specifically write about an experience they had with that person that made them feel close to this other person.
Reasoning
Feeling connected to others is a fundamental human need that supports kindness and compassion. When individuals feel isolated or rejected, they may focus inward on meeting their unmet needs. In contrast, feeling connected and cared for allows people to expend more energy helping others and fostering positive relationships. Reflecting on moments of strong connection can encourage individuals to cultivate these experiences and strengthen bonds.
Procedure
The participant will take ten minutes and think of a time when you felt a strong bond with someone. They should bring to mind a specific example of an experience they had with this specific person. Once the participant has thought of that, the participant should write a short paragraph about what happened. In particular the participant should focus on the way this experience made them feel close to this other person.
Primary Citation & Study Summary:
Pavey, L., Greitemeyer, T., & Sparks, P. (2011). Highlighting relatedness promotes prosocial motives and behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(7), 905-917.
Some study participants reflected on a time when they felt a strong bond with someone else; other participants wrote about a time when they felt especially competent or autonomous. Compared with those in the other groups, the participants who reflected on their experience of closeness reported greater feelings of connectedness and concern for others. What’s more, they also reported a stronger intention to carry out a variety of altruistic behaviors over the next six weeks, including giving money to charity and going out of their way to help a stranger in need.
When they analyzed the data more closely, the researchers found that a greater desire to be kind depended on whether participants experienced greater feelings of connectedness to others after doing the writing exercise.