Educazione

Altruism

Written by: Andrea Pintimalli – Redazione scientifica

DATE: 29/03/2023

Glossary entries in the Education category

The word altruism derives from the Latin alter, meaning other, and indicates behavior expressed with the aim of doing good for others. The concept of altruism has been developed according to various approaches, from philosophical-moral to anthropological to biological.

From the perspective of the biology of our species, it is believed that, despite the apparent advantages of selfishness for survival, altruistic behavior has been favored by evolution because it is more effective in the long term and for a greater number of individuals. Reut Avinun and colleagues from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem published in 2011 the results of a study showing that humans possess a specific “altruism gene” that regulates a hormone in our brain through which every altruistic act triggers a sense of physical well-being and even joy.

In a similar perspective, Michael Vlerick found that altruistic behavior stimulates the production of serotoninSerotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a ne... More, oxytocinOxytocin is a hormone produced in the brain, specifically in... More, and endorphinsEndorphins are a group of endogenous peptides, meaning they ... More, the so-called “happinessHappiness represents an emotional state characterized by pos... More hormones.”

How to learn to be altruistic?

According to scientific research, altruistic behavior is learned through social relationships. It has been found that altruistic behavior, understood here as social engagement, improves the subjective well-being of both actors and observers. This positive association between altruism and well-being appears to be bidirectional, as it has been observed that happier people engage more in altruism. In various studies, some people were given money to donate to others, while others were given money to keep: the first group was found to be happier.

Experiencing direct relationships with others, witnessing how it is inherent in our species to help others and need help, leads to mirroring in others, developing empathyEmpathy is a fundamental skill that allows us to connect wit... More.

Bibliography

Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., & Whillans, A. V. (2022). The Emotional Rewards of Prosocial Spending Are Robust and Replicable in Large Samples. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 31(6), 536-545.

Rilling, J. K., Gutman, D. A., Zeh, T. R., Pagnoni, G., Berns, G. S., & Kilts, C. D. (2002). A neural basis for social cooperationThe silent force that holds human groups together Cooperatio... More. Neuron, 35(2), 395-405.
Vlerick, M. (2021). Explaining human altruism. Synthese, 199(1-2), 2395-2413.
Avinun, R., Israel, S., Shalev, I., Gritsenko, I., Bornstein, G., Ebstein, R. P., & Knafo, A. (2011). AVPR1A variant associated with preschoolers’ lower altruistic behavior. PloS One, 6(9), e25274.