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altruism

·November 26, 2024·5 min read

Feeling Beautiful Spurs Kindness and Generosity

A new study shows that enhancing one’s appearance, even virtually, increases prosocial behavior such as kindness and charitable giving. Participants who saw enhanced images of themselves were twice as likely to donate to charity compared to controls, suggesting that feeling attractive boosts social consciousness.

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·June 27, 2024·3 min read

First Neandertal with Down Syndrome: Evidence of Altruistic Care in Prehistory

A new study documents the first case of Down syndrome in a Neandertal child named "Tina," found in Spain. Despite severe hearing loss and vertigo, Tina survived to at least 6 years old, indicating she received extensive care from her group. This discovery highlights the Neandertals' capacity for altruistic behavior.

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·May 16, 2024·2 min read

Stress May Boost Helping Behavior When Witnessing Injustice

A new study finds that acute stress experienced while witnessing injustice can make people more likely to help victims rather than punish offenders. This shift in behavior is linked to increased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a brain region involved in decision-making. The findings suggest that helping others may be a more intuitive response than punishing them, especially under stress.

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·October 20, 2023·4 min read

Choosing Ignorance: 40% Shun Consequence Knowledge for Selfish Gains

New research unveiled that when faced with a choice, 40% of individuals opt to remain ignorant about how their decisions impact others, often leveraging this unawareness to act more selfishly. The researchers equates this behavior to consumers who turn a blind eye to the problematic origins of products they purchase.

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·April 19, 2023·4 min read

Mapping the Psyche of Extreme Altruists

While more altruistic people can be distinguished from typical adults by their unselfish traits and actions, they are generally not different in other ways. Altruistic people are no more agreeable or conscientious than other adults, nor do they report higher levels of empathy.

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·April 3, 2023·4 min read

Left-Leaning People Are More Altruistic

Findings from a study of more than 46,000 people from 68 different countries reveal those who share more left-wing political views are more generous and altruistic than those who follow right-wing ideologies.

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·August 26, 2022·5 min read

When Can We Be Bothered to Help Others? Brain Region Responsible for This Behavior Discovered

The anterior cingulate cortex gyrus plays a critical role in our decision to put physical effort into helping out other people.

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·August 24, 2022·8 min read

Sleepless and Selfish: Lack of Sleep Makes Us Less Generous

A lack of sleep impairs our basic social conscience, making us less willing to help others.

This shows children putting their hands on top of each other

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 2, 2022·7 min read

What Oxytocin Can Tell Us About the Evolution of Human Prosociality

Study sheds new light on the genetics underlying possible social differences between modern humans, our ancestors, and other primate species.

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·May 21, 2022·3 min read

Stress Can Make You More Selfish

Higher levels of stress can diminish altruistic behaviors, researchers report.

This shows a head made of cogwheels and a lightbulb

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 16, 2022·3 min read

Altruism May Not Seem to Make Sense Until You Dig Deep

Game theory may help explain our motivation to embark on altruistic and social activities, researchers say.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 26, 2022·3 min read

Stress Hormone Reduces Altruistic Behavior in Empathetic People

The stress hormone cortisol reduces altruistic behaviors and alters brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in people with higher levels of empathy.

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altruism

Feeling Beautiful Spurs Kindness and Generosity

Choosing Ignorance: 40% Shun Consequence Knowledge for Selfish Gains

Mapping the Psyche of Extreme Altruists

When Can We Be Bothered to Help Others? Brain Region Responsible for This Behavior Discovered

Sleepless and Selfish: Lack of Sleep Makes Us Less Generous

Altruism May Not Seem to Make Sense Until You Dig Deep

Stress Hormone Reduces Altruistic Behavior in Empathetic People

Mapping Brain-to-Spinal Cord Pathways for Motor Control

Rare Brain Cells Offer Clues to Aging and Rejuvenation

Structural Sexism Tied to Faster Memory Decline in Older Women

Chronic Gut Virus May Play a Role in Alzheimer’s Development

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