Altruism
Using fmri, researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke peeked into the brains of 19 volunteers who were choosing whether to give money to charity, or keep it for themselves.
The subjects were each given $128 and told that they could donate anonymously to any of a range of potentially controversial charities. The volunteers could choose to accept or reject choices such as: to give away money that cost them nothing; to give money that was subtracted from their pots; to oppose donation but not be penalised for it; or to oppose donation and have money taken from them.
The brain that was active when a person donated happened to be the brain’s reward center, the mesolimbic pathway, responsible for doling out the dopamine-mediated euphoria associated with sex, money, food and drugs.
Donating also engaged the part of the brain that plays a role in the bonding behaviour between mother and child, and in romantic love. This involves oxytocin, a hormone that increases trust and co-operation. When subjects opposed a cause, the part of the brain right next to it was active. This area is thought to be responsible for decisions involving punishment. And a third part of the brain, the anterior prefrontal cortex, which lies just behind the forehead, evolved relatively recently and is thought to be unique to humans — was involved in the complex, costly decisions when self-interest and moral beliefs were in conflict. Giving may make all sorts of animals feel good, but grappling with this particular sort of dilemma appears to rely on a uniquely human part of the brain.
“The joy of giving,” The Economist