Extraordinary Altruism and Transcending the Self.

Crockett MJ., Lockwood PL.

Longstanding psychological theories posit a link between empathy and altruism. A new study of anonymous kidney donors finds these 'extraordinary altruists' show an increased overlap in neural responses to pain for self and others. These findings, alongside other recent studies of altruism, shed new light on the nature of selflessness.

DOI

10.1016/j.tics.2018.09.003

Type

Journal article

Journal

Trends Cogn Sci

Publication Date

28/09/2018

Keywords

empathy, exceptional altruism, left anterior insula, selflessness

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