Giorgio Bertini
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Tag Archives: altruism
Why it can make sense to believe in the kindness of strangers
Would you risk your life for a total stranger? While you might consider yourself incapable of acts of altruism on that scale, it happens again and again. During hurricanes and mass shootings, some people go to great lengths to help … Continue reading
What Makes Us Altruistic?
Genetics isn’t as important as once thought for the evolution of altruistic social behavior in some organisms, a new insight into a decade-long debate. This is the first empirical evidence that suggests social behavior in eusocial species—organisms that are highly … Continue reading
The neurodevelopmental precursors of altruistic behavior in infancy
Altruistic behavior is considered a key feature of the human cooperative makeup, with deep ontogenetic roots. The tendency to engage in altruistic behavior varies between individuals and has been linked to differences in responding to fearful faces. The current study … Continue reading
On altruism and kindness
Psychologists at the University of Sussex have confirmed that the warm glow of kindness is real, even when there’s nothing in it for you. In their study, published in NeuroImage, they undertook a major analysis of existing research showing the … Continue reading
Neural fingerprints of altruism
There are two war veterans, both with penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a gunshot. One of them tends to donate his own money to societal entities he believes in, and the other one punishes institutions that don’t represent … Continue reading
The neurodevelopmental precursors of altruistic behavior in infancy
Altruistic behavior is considered a key feature of the human cooperative makeup, with deep ontogenetic roots. The tendency to engage in altruistic behavior varies between individuals and has been linked to differences in responding to fearful faces. The current study tests the hypothesis … Continue reading
A neural link between altruism and empathy toward strangers
Giving up a kidney to a stranger requires a certain sense of selflessness, what’s come to be known in social science as extraordinary altruism. University of Pennsylvania psychologist Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz wanted to understand the connection between this trait and empathy, … Continue reading
Your Brain might be hard-wired for Empathy and Altruism
It’s an age-old quandary: Are we born “noble savages” whose best intentions are corrupted by civilization, as the 18th century Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau contended? Or are we fundamentally selfish brutes who need civilization to rein in our base impulses, … Continue reading
Neural Fingerprints of Altruism
A new neuroimaging study of war veterans with TBI reveals some interesting insights into brain areas associated with altruism. There are two war veterans, both with penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a gunshot. One of them tends to … Continue reading
Posted in Altruism, Neuroscience
Tagged altruism, neuroscience
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Journaling inspires altruism through an attitude of gratitude
Gratitude does more than help maintain good health. New research at the University of Oregon finds that regularly noting feelings of gratitude in a journal leads to increased altruism. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, sought … Continue reading
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