The compassionate brain

Dr. Richard Davidson is a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. He is best known for his groundbreaking work studying emotion and the brain. His research is broadly focused on the neural bases of emotion and emotional style and methods to promote human flourishing including meditation and related contemplative practices. Richard Davidson is popularizing the idea that based on the plasticity of the brain, one can learn happiness and compassion as skills just as one learns to play a musical instrument, or train in golf or tennis.