Compassion is not exclusive to the human experience; it is a universal trait that extends far beyond humans and touches upon all life on Earth. From seemingly eternal African savannas to boundless oceans, animals can be observed helping each other in distress at the expense of themselves, grieving for the dead, and comforting each other. Throughout time, compassion has been a guiding force that has prevailed and transcended cultures, species and eras.
There are many different ways and places compassion has – and can – manifest. Despite this, it defines itself with underlying similarities that compel us to recognize the shared experiences and emotions that connect us with each other and other species throughout time. This universal trait shows the intense connections that unite us in ways that are as timeless as they are astonishing.
What is compassion?
Compassion is a fundamental trait for humans and animals alike. Researchers across various fields, including psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, have explored the nature, benefits, and processes of compassion.
But what is it?
Compassion is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as “the feeling or emotion, when a person is moved by the suffering or distress of another, and by the desire to relieve it.” It is the feeling that emerges when you encounter another’s pain and feel compelled to ease that pain. It intricately combines empathy, kindness, and a proactive intent to help.
From a scientific and evolutionary perspective, the study Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review by Jennifer L. Goetz, Dacher Keltner, and Emiliana Simon-Thomas explores the concept of compassion. These researchers suggest that compassion evolved as a distinct emotional occurrence, the goal of which was to facilitate cooperation and protect those vulnerable or suffering.
Some key findings of this study help us understand the cognitive, neural, behavioral, and physiological aspects of compassion. Compassion involves unique cognitive processes that recognize and respond to the unjust suffering of others, leading one to help and support them. This trait does so by engaging specific patterns of neural activation in the brain, regions associated with empathy and social connection as well as positive emotion, leading the helper to feel uplifted just for helping. As stated in the study, compassion is characterized by a “distinct signaling behavior related to caregiving patterns of touch, posture, and vocalization.” Unlike other emotions like distress, sadness, and love, compassion evokes a physiological response that steers individuals towards social approaches.
This research highlights the importance of compassion for social interactions in all living beings. In a world that is constantly being defined by individuals and their respective pursuits, challenges, and gains, compassion serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness. Continuing to explore compassion’s manifestations beyond ourselves and across time and species, one can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Compassion across species
Compassion is often considered a uniquely human trait, but this is a misconception. Alike to humans, compassion is present across many different species as a fundamental piece of the moral and social fabric. Somewhere, an elephant covers the remains of a deceased herd member with branches or other debris. For years to come, this elephant herd will remember this moment and mourn their deceased loved ones.
Elephants are known for their intricate social systems and displays of compassion, which make them one of the most empathetic species in the animal kingdom. One of the most heartfelt ways in which elephants show compassion is through their behavior towards the dead, showing behavior parallel to human grief.
In the book When Elephants Weep by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, the author writes about exactly this: elephants weeping for their dead. He underscores how elephants are one of the few animals that cry when another elephant dies. Elephants also bury their dead and pay tribute to their remains, covering a deceased elephant who is clearly vulnerable, with branches and dirt. Additionally, they will even gently touch the elephant’s remains with their trunk or hind foot, while they remain in silence for a prolonged period of time. Finally, in the years to come, surviving elephants will return to the spot where a herd member died and pay their respects.
Picture a vast plain. It’s open, bright and quiet, except for the occasional rustling of leaves brought on by the breeze. A herd of elephants, or perhaps only one, approaches a spot in the earth well they will stay for a while. The sunlight glistens off it, identical to the plains to the right, and to the left. It may not appear as such, but it is a sacred place, the final resting ground of their loved one – a mother, a sister or a simple companion. Years ago, they breathed their last breath here, and today, as they have all the years since, the elephants have remembered that moment and returned to this spot in the hallowed ground. Younger elephants, accompanied by their parents, may watch these practices, understanding that underneath the earth, there is more than just bones. There is history, perhaps sacrifice, and a familiarity.
They will learn to mimic and continue the practice for when their loved ones eventually pass. Observing the compassionate behavior of elephants, one can be reminded how “humanness” is present in all corners of the world and transcends the boundaries of species. In doing so, not only do these creatures teach us about the love and respect they understand for each other even beyond death, but they remind us of the importance of these meaningful interactions. Learning from these creatures, one can gain greater appreciation for themselves and the interconnectedness of it all. One may also take inspiration from this and foster empathy and compassion in one’s own life and community. It is easy to forget, but we are all bound by compassion and love.
Compassion across time
Imagine a prehistoric scene. Twenty-four small dinosaurs roam an ancient landscape, guided by their older caretaker. The young guardian leads them to a safe area, always vigilant and protective. Suddenly, the ground trembles as a volcanic eruption sends a deadly flow of mud, water and debris rushing towards them. In the chaos, the older dinosaur may have a fleeting chance to escape, to save itself from the impending disaster, but it looks back at those twenty-four dinosaurs and makes a heart-wrenching choice. In a desperate attempt to shield the vulnerable dinosaurs, the caretaker rallies them to huddle together. Though they cannot escape the devastating force, the older dinosaur’s sacrifice stands as a testament to the timeless, universal trait of compassion.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania made a significant discovery while studying a rock slab in the Sujiatun beds of the Yixian formation in Northeastern China, challenging the negative assumption made about dinosaurs. This slab, approximately 120 million years old, contained fossils of 25 dinosaurs, Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis. They were plant eaters and are among the most abundant dinosaurs yet discovered.
It was noticed that of the twenty-five dinosaurs, twenty-four of them were young and there was one older individual. Further examination of the rock slab under a microscope and using X-ray diffraction led researchers to determine that the material was volcanic in origin. This suggests that the dinosaurs had been caught in a volcanic flow, likely a slurry of water, mud, and volcanic debris since there was no heat damage to the bones.
The orientation of the fossils supported this hypothesis. “If they were captured in a flow, the long axis-their spines- would be oriented in the same direction,” explained Brandon P. Hedrick, a researcher who studied this fossil. This was consistent with the researchers findings.
Since there was no evidence of eggshell material and the ends of their bones were fully developed, the twenty-four young dinosaurs, all similar in size, were likely already hatched prior to being caught in the volcanic flow. The older individual’s skull was about 4.5 inches long, suggesting that it was between 4 and 5 years old, too young to be the parent given that this species did not reproduce until the age of 8 or 9.
The close association of the young dinosaurs with the older individual led the researchers to hypothesize that the older individual might have been acting as a caretaker, similar to the “big sibling” behavior observed in animals today. The researchers could not say definitively that this was a nest, since there wasn’t enough evidence to support that.
This discovery serves as a poignant reminder that compassion and care are timeless traits, transcending both time and species. The possibility of an older dinosaur acting as a caretaker for the young echoes the fundamental acts of kindness and protection that persist throughout the animal kingdom and human society alike. It highlights the intrinsic value of empathy, reminding us that the bonds we share and the care we extend to each other is universal and enduring.
Whether it is the heartwarming behavior of elephants mourning their dead or the possible caretaker role of an older dinosaur, these examples remind us the capacity for empathy and care is not limited by species or time.
Compassion is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as “the feeling or emotion, when a person is moved by the suffering or distress of another, and by the desire to relieve it.”