COVID and Compassion: 'Our Brains Aren’t Apathetic, They’re Lazy'

The video explores how compassion drives behavior and how our minds can mislead us in empathizing with large groups. Paul Slovic, a psychology professor, explains the 'flawed arithmetic of compassion,' where empathy decreases as the number of people in distress increases. This phenomenon is illustrated by the short-lived surge in donations following a viral image of a refugee child. The video suggests ways to strengthen compassion, such as focusing on individual stories and practicing mindfulness.

What is the primary motivator for human behavior according to the video?

• Curiosity

• Greed

• Compassion

• Fear

What does Paul Slovic refer to when he mentions the 'flawed arithmetic of compassion'?

• The mathematical errors in decision making

• The increase in compassion with more people

• The decrease in empathy as more people are affected

• The inability to calculate large numbers

Why do humans struggle to accurately assess the importance of situations based on feelings?

• Feelings are always accurate

• Feelings are logical

• Feelings can count numbers

• Feelings are unreliable

What example is given to illustrate the short-lived nature of human compassion?

• A political campaign

• A viral photo of a refugee child

• A sports event

• A natural disaster

Which practice is suggested to help enhance compassion?

• Avoiding emotions

• Ignoring news

• Practicing mindfulness

• Focusing on numbers