Altruism detected in brain scan research
Altruism, one of the most difficult human behaviours to define, can be detected in brain scans, US researchers report. They found activity in a specific area of the brain could predict altruistic behaviour and people’s own reports of how selfish or giving they were.
“Although understanding the function of this brain region may not necessarily identify what drives people like Mother Theresa, it may give clues to the origins of important social behaviours like altruism,” says Assistant Professor Scott Huettel, a neuroscientist at Duke University in North Carolina who led the study.
The researchers set up an experiment in which they put 45 college students into a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, which can take real-time images of brain activity. They gave the students various games to play, and told them that winning earned cash for either themselves or for a charity.
The students had chosen the charities beforehand from a list and they reacted differently depending on whether they won for themselves or for charity. The ones who described themselves as altruistic responded more strongly.
Assoc Prof Huettel said it was difficult but still valid to try to assess altruism scientifically. “It is hardly the case that all altruistic acts come from people who are religiously faithful; there are undoubtedly many altruistic atheists. And, a religious explanation would have considerable difficulty explaining why some animals help others of their species at significant cost or danger to themselves.”
