Compassion- Front Cover -- Compassion -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of illustrations -- Figures -- Tables -- List of contributors -- Preface -- PART I: Evolution and the nature of compassion -- Chapter 1: Compassion: definitions and controversies -- Issues of definition: what's in a word? -- Defining compassion -- Motivation approaches -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 2: Prehistoric origins: the compassion of far distant strangers -- Introduction -- Ignoring the uncomfortable? -- The prehistory of compassion -- Complex emotional minds -- Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 3: Compassion as a social mentality: an evolutionary approach -- Introduction: from caring to compassion - the emergence of the social intelligences -- Social motives, social mentalities and compassion -- The flow of compassion -- Self compassion vs. the compassionate self -- Extending compassion -- Sensitivity to distress/suffering -- Shame, guilt and the compassionate social mentality -- The two psychologies of compassion -- First psychology: engagement with, and appraisal of, suffering -- Second psychology: wise action -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 4: Mindfulness and compassion: similarities and differences -- Compassion in mindfulness -- Compassion within mindfulness training -- Mindfulness in compassion -- Mindfulness within compassion training -- Distinctive features of self-compassion training -- Converging or diverging psychological processes? -- Summary -- References -- PART II: Compassion and its physiologies -- Chapter 5: The body of compassion -- Introduction -- Defining relevant terms -- Neuroscientific explorations of compassion -- Neuromodulatory backdrop -- Summary and future directions -- References -- Chapter 6: The psychobiological foundation of prosocial relationships: the role of oxytocin in daily social exchanges