The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Compassion and Anger
The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Compassion and Anger
Key findings: Heart-focused, sincere, positive feeling states boost the immune system, while negative emotions may suppress the immune response for up to six hours following the emotional experience.
Summary: Secretory IgA (measured from saliva samples), heart rate and mood were measured in thirty individuals before and after experiencing the emotional states of either care and compassion or anger and frustration. Two methods of inducing the emotional states were compared: self-induction versus external induction via video tapes. Anger produced a significant increase in total mood disturbance and heart rate but not in S-IgA levels. On the other hand, sincere positive feeling states of care and compassion, self-induced via the Freeze-Frame technique, produced a significant decrease in total mood disturbance and a significant increase in S-IgA levels. Examining the effects over a 6-hour period, we observed that a 5-minute experience of anger produced a significant inhibition of S-IgA from one to five hours after the emotional experience. In contrast, a tendency toward increased S-IgA levels was observed over the six hours following a 5-minute experience of care (Figure 21).




