8 replies to this topic

[agwoodliffe]

People who are very considerate to the feelings of other people are usually regarded as having a big heart.

What's interesting about this saying is that one of the key chemicals involved in altruistic behaviour is Arginine Vasopressin, which is also required for a healthy functioning heart. Go figure.

[jroseland]

It would be interesting seeing a study linking Arginine Vasopressin to altruism...

[Mr Serendipity]

I thought oxytocin was the chemical that had been linked to altruism.

[tunt01]

I thought oxytocin was the chemical that had been linked to altruism.

 

It is released during physical, social rewards (love, cuddling, released by an infant when a mother strokes/cuddles it).

[Mr Serendipity]

 

I thought oxytocin was the chemical that had been linked to altruism.

 

It is released during physical, social rewards (love, cuddling, released by an infant when a mother strokes/cuddles it).

 

 

Yeah I know that. It's the love chemical, hence why I said it would be linked to altruism.

 

I was also thinking of a study which linked oxytocin, to thinking the best of strangers, and helping them out finacially (altruism).

 

Here it is after a quick google search:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/19580564

 

 

Empathy toward strangers triggers oxytocin release and subsequent generosity.

Barraza JA¹, Zak PJ.

Author information

Abstract

Empathy is related to a variety of prosocial behaviors, but the brain mechanisms producing the experience of empathy have not been fully characterized. This study investigated whether the experience of empathy raises oxytocin levels and affects subsequent generosity toward strangers. Short video clips of an emotional scene and an unemotional scene were used as stimuli. Participants rated the emotions they experienced and then played a $40 ultimatum game to gauge their generosity. We found that empathy was associated with a 47% increase in oxytocin from baseline. We also found the empathy-oxytocin response was stronger in women than in men. Higher levels of empathy were also associated with more generous monetary offers toward strangers in the ultimatum game. Our findings provide the first evidence that oxytocin is a physiologic signature for empathy and that empathy mediates generosity.

 

Edited by manny, 12 December 2014 - 03:56 AM.

[agwoodliffe]

It would be interesting seeing a study linking Arginine Vasopressin to altruism...

 

 

By all means:

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/21980412

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/18655900

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/17696996

[SuperStack]

I've heard cocaine stimulates a release of vasopressin, is it the same kind? If so, why are coke heads such pricks? No offense intended, but I have yet to meet a blowface that didn't want to fight me.

[Flex]

Edit

Edited by Flex, 14 December 2014 - 09:44 PM.

[Heisenburger]

I read a paper a couple of years ago (can’t seem to find it right now) linking human altruism and empathy to a single base pair on the short arm of chromosome 3 that influences oxytocin metabolism. Here’s something relevant to start with; I’ll see if I can find something a little meatier:

 

http://www.livescien...s-behavior.html

 

And now a bedtime fable...

 

The Rabbit

 

A little rabbit is happily running through the forest when he stumbles upon a giraffe rolling a joint. The rabbit looks at her and says, “Giraffe, my friend, think about what you're doing to yourself! Come with me running through the forest, you'll see, you'll feel so much better!” The giraffe looks at him, looks at the joint, tosses it and goes off running with the rabbit.

 

Then they come across an elephant doing coke. So the rabbit again says, “Elephant my friend, why do you do this? Think about what you're doing to yourself! Come running with us through the pretty forest, you'll see, you'll feel so good!' The elephant looks at them, looks at his razor, mirror and all, then tosses them and starts running with the rabbit and giraffe.

 

The three animals then come across a lion about to shoot up some heroin. “Lion my friend, why do you do this? Think about what you're doing to yourself! Come running with us through the sunny forest, you will feel so good!” The lion looks at him, puts down his needle, and starts to beat the shit out of the little rabbit.

 

The giraffe and elephant watch in horror, then finally obtain the presence of mind to pull the lion off the rabbit. “Lion,” they reprimand, “why did you do this? He was merely trying to help us all!” The lion answers, “That little fucker has me running around the forest like an idiot for hours every time he's on ecstasy!”

 

 

 

Edited by Heisenburger, 14 December 2014 - 09:55 PM.