Ever wondered why some people seem to be naturally generous while others are always stingy or miserly? According to this post at lifescript.com, there may be something different about the brains of people who are altruistic.
Do you volunteer at the local soup kitchen? Are you always the first one to pitch in your time, money or emotional energy for a friend in need? Your compulsive generosity may have a basis in neurochemistry, according to a new study. Researchers at Duke University used MRI scans to study the brain activity of subjects engaged in a range of behaviors. The study found that subjects who chose to participate in charitable activities experienced high levels of activity in the parietal lobe, part of the brain's "reward center." Although the activities involved exerting effort or spending resources without the anticipation of profit, researchers found that altruistic subjects experienced feelings of reward equivalent to winning or earning money. Findings from the study were published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
I've always said that people who are altruistic get pleasure from doing such works and it looks like this study might prove that. If altruistic people do gain pleasure from their gifts, it would also explain why some people do a lot of charity work while others do only a little.
I still think altruism and compassion are important values we have to teach our children, both through lessons and by example. One of the reasons I'm a big proponent of scouting (both Boy and Girl Scouts) is their emphasis on community service. I think if you make children aware early on that they are blessed to have so much and that they have an obligation to help those less fortunate, you can help awaken that inner altruistic sense.
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