July 27, 2023

San Antonio Case Study

Case study that analyzes the efforts made within San Antonio, TX, to become a Compassionate City.

Case study that analyzes the efforts made within San Antonio, TX, to become a Compassionate City. This study included interviews, surveys, and observations of community members and organizations to identify the impacts of collaboration within San Antonio; provided suggestions for organizations, San Antonio, and other cities to improve collaborative and compassionate capabilities; and determined if implementing key collaborative principles and theories could contribute to building more impactful compassionate cities.

Suggested use: This study provides an overview of the ProSocial process, reviews collective sensemaking practices for communities, and identifies related concepts. Use this as a guide for implementing the ProSocial process with an Appreciative Inquiry approach at a community or organizational level.

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Process Stage:

Envisioning Purpose

Categories:

Core Design Principles

Systems Analysis

Visioning

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Process Stage:

Envisioning Purpose

Categories:

Core Design Principles

Systems Analysis

Visioning

More Processes:

Core Design Principle Assessment Tool

Core Design Principle (CDP) assessment tool/spoke diagram

Journey of the Heart Fieldbook

Field book documenting the construction of a cultural inheritance system to promote health, equity, and sustainability in Latin America

Core Design Principle Handout with Spoke Diagram

Document summarizing each of the Core Design Principles (CDPs) with methods of implementation, assessment questions to determine group alignment with the principles, and key planning questions to determine how to use this principle with the group. An example and blank spoke diagram where a group can map alignment on a scale of 1-10 with each principle.

ProSocial Core Processes

A suite of multi-cropping practices of personal growth, skills building, dialogue, and participatory action learning that is simultaneously theory and practice.

More Concepts:

Short Core Design Principle Handout

Brief summary of each of the Core Design Principles (CDPs) with examples.

More Projects and Evidence:

Introduction to ProSocial Spirituality

Introduction to ProSocial Spirituality, featuring Dr. David Sloan Wilson and our team of researchers focused on understanding the social contexts in which cooperative behaviors are reinforced more than selfish behaviors

Science of the Noosphere

The Science of the Noosphere masterclass, a partnership between Human Energy and ProSocial World, aimed to unite a diverse group of participants interested in exploring the concept of the noosphere—a collective sphere of human knowledge, culture, and potential.

Testing Hypotheses about Meaning Systems in Real-World Settings

The aim of this proposal was to integrate science and spirituality in real-world settings, based on the conceptual foundation of modern evolutionary science and a practical framework for working with groups pioneered by the nonprofit organization ProSocial World. Full report and video available to view. Project supported in part by the Templeton Religion Trust (TRT).

ProSocial World’s Spiritual Communities Initiative Preliminary Research Report

A ProSocial World research initiative funded by the John Templeton Foundation, the ProSocial Spiritual Communities Initiative, aims to integrate contemplative practices and interspiritual elements into ProSocial World’s scientifically-based framework.

ProSocial World Latin America: Journey of the Heart

The study implemented a culturally adapted ProSocial Process aimed at connecting educational, environmental conservation, and social service efforts across Latin America to create a sustainable network of change makers and reweave the cultural fabric.

Multilevel cultural evolution: From new theory to practical applications

An article providing an overview of the developments of evolutionary science, from gene-centric theories to the formal study of human cultural evolution and its maturation to deriving practical applications.

Generalizing the core design principles for the efficacy of groups

Seminal article co-authored by David Sloan Wilson, Elinor Ostrom, and Michael E. Cox, published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, that provides background on the origins of the Core Design Principles (CDPs), beginning with how they were derived for assessing collaboration for communities that manage common-pool resources to how they can be generalized for any collective group.

San Antonio Case Study

Case study that analyzes the efforts made within San Antonio, TX, to become a Compassionate City.

Belief Statement

We believe that to catalyze rapid, positive cultural change we need to recognize our interconnectedness and continuously improve the relationships we have with ourselves, each other and the planet.

Purpose Statement

Consciously evolve a world that works for all.

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