- Johannes Keller: 1University of Ulm, Germany.
The present research examined the notion that the prosocial attitude of compassion is positively related to the antisocial attitude of hostility given that compassion and hostility entail elements reflecting vigilant, prevention-focused self-regulation. In fact, it was found in four samples (N = 4,903) that individuals with a strong vigilant prevention focus reported higher levels on measures of hostility as well as higher levels on compassion than individuals characterized by a weak prevention focus. In addition, compassion and hostility are indeed positively correlated reflecting the Compassion-Hostility Paradox. The positive association between compassion and hostility is substantially reduced when the chronic level of prevention-focused self-regulation is controlled for. A complementary experimental study in which compassion was manipulated revealed an effect of compassion on hostility in chronically prevention-focused individuals.