Altruism is one of the most heartwarming and inspiring topics in social psychology. It can manifest in anything from the common act of holding the door, all the way to donating blood or putting oneself on the line to protect strangers. Altruism is generally defined as selfless behavior that helps others, although debate remains over whether an act must involve self-sacrifice to be considered truly altruistic. Altruism is often pointed to as proof of the inherent good in humanity—nevertheless, other species such as monkeys, dolphins, and even rats have also demonstrated selfless behavior. 

            There are many reasons why someone may behave altruistically, and concern-motivated altruism and morally-motivated altruism are two primary influences. Concern-motivated altruism, in which an individual intervenes out of concern for the well-being of another, is largely driven by empathy. Empathy indirectly enhances altruism by facilitating compassion and the ability to resonate with others. Evidence for this connection is supported by neuroscience. Highly altruistic people tend to have larger volumes of the amygdala, a brain structure that manages emotions, and also display a greater neural response to recognizing fear in others. Along the lines of empathy, people are more likely to assist others who they can readily relate to, which is why self-sacrificing behavior often occurs between family members and kin. On the other hand, morally-motivated altruism may occur between strangers, in which altruism is not the result of interpersonal compassion but rather a sense of moral responsibility. A person may help out a stranger due to a desire to “do the right thing,” even if they aren’t emotionally moved by the stranger’s plight. Morally-motivated altruism may come across as patronizing at times, but an upside is that it facilitates general goodwill towards a large group, rather than altruism born out of care for a particular individual.

            Psychologists have identified key factors that influence how likely a person is to help. The vast majority of altruistic behavior occurs when doing so inflicts little to no personal costs and is in a person’s best interests. Along this very realist train of thought, Social Exchange Theory posits that people weigh the pros and cons of generosity, and only help if the potential upsides outweigh sacrifices like time. People who are not in a rush or in a good mood are more likely to behave altruistically, and interestingly, people who feel guilty may also intervene out of a desire to redeem themselves. Conversely, doubts about whether the person deserves their predicament can lead to less willingness to take action. People are more generous towards members of their social ingroup, which may inadvertently lead to less altruism, or even downright aversion, towards members of an outgroup. Equally harmful to altruism is the infamous “Bystander Effect,” where large groups or people are less likely to assist due to a diffusion of responsibility.

            Altruism is considered both an innate and a learned characteristic. Encouraging research has shown that infants display altruistic behavior and a desire to help others without social prompting. From an evolutionary standpoint, altruism became encoded in humans because it increased the collective well-being and survival rates of a group. Along with this biological explanation, there is also an undeniable social component to altruism. Powerful cultural and religious norms set expectations for generosity that people feel compelled to follow in order to gain social acceptance. These norms vary vastly across the globe. In America, for instance, highly-valued individualism and economic success can impede altruism and the willingness to donate money. 

            Whether humans are capable of being truly selfless has been a question of considerable debate. Indeed, many acts of altruism benefit the giver by providing both internal and external rewards. “Helper’s High,” alternatively known as the “Warm Glow Effect,” is a release of feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine a person experiences after performing a good deed. Generosity towards others also increases an individual’s satisfaction, gratitude, and self-esteem. Additionally, volunteers are less likely to have depression and anxiety and boast superior longevity, satisfaction, and physical health. Apart from these internal benefits, altruism often begets external admiration from others and increases an individual’s social status. Take for instance Reciprocal Altruism, a form of generosity where an individual gives with the expectation of receiving future compensation. 

            Although acting altruistically may benefit both parties involved, statements declaring that altruism is nonexistent or “not real” do more harm than good. Feelings of selflessness inspire others, and normalizing and popularizing stories of altruism lead more people to display generosity. Policies like Good Samaritan Laws that protect the self-interests of helpers incentivize people to act selflessly. Additionally, education that enhances social intelligence and broadens perspectives is conducive to increasing compassion. Love and care are vital to altruism, and providing others with this support enables them to pass it on to others. While there is no surefire way to encourage society to be more selfless, acts of altruism can be contagious, and everyone in society could benefit from a little more goodwill in their day-to-day lives. 

 

References

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Filkowski, M. M., Cochran, R. N., & Haas, B. W. (2016). Altruistic behavior: Mapping responses in the brain. Neuroscience and Neuroeconomics, 5, 65–75. https://doi.org/10.2147/nan.s87718 

Jhangiani, R., Tarry, H., & Stangor, C. (n.d.). Principles of Social Psychology. Other Determinants of Helping | Principles of Social Psychology. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-social-psychology/chapter/other-determinants-of-helping/

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Rajhans, P., Altvater-Mackensen, N., Vaish, A., & Grossmann, T. (2016). Children’s altruistic behavior in context: The role of emotional responsiveness and culture. Scientific Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep24089 

Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). Altruism. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/altruism

Szuster, A. (2016, April 12). Crucial dimensions of human altruism. Affective vs. conceptual factors leading to helping or reinforcing others. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00519/full