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Why Some People Are Wired to Help Strangers, And What Their Brains Reveal
Abigail Marsh, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgetown University, studies extraordinary altruism — people who jump in to rescue strangers in emergencies or donate a kidney to someone they don’t know. Marsh spoke
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8 Ways to Become a Nicer Person
Kids are taught that being nice means using magic words like “please” and “thank you,” sharing with friends, and taking turns without complaint. Then they grow up and enter a world where it’s normal to
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Why Doing Good Also Makes Us Feel Good, During the Holidays and Beyond
… For many in the U.S., the season most associated with giving, receiving and volunteering runs from Thanksgiving through Hanukkah and Christmas to New Year’s. But around the world, a giving season or festival is present in many cultures, said Amrisha Vaish
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Anyone Can Be an Altruist
What’s really going on inside the brain of an altruist? Why do altruists care so much more for a stranger who needs help? Why are they so willing to give away a kidney? In this
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Cash Rewards Have Less Sway in Collectivistic Cultures
If you’re trying to get someone to do something, what’s the best way to achieve that? Paying them probably comes to mind, and this intuition is a basic tenet of economic theory. In a massive
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Why You Are Not As Selfish As You Think
Whenever I fly, one line jumps out from the pre-flight safety briefing. Somewhere between “welcome aboard” and “use this whistle for attracting attention”, we’re reminded to “put on your own oxygen mask before helping others”.
