“Life’s good” … Jon and Lisa Owen at their Bidwill home. Photo: Damian Bennett
I came across this article in the Sydney Morning Herald recently and it got me thinking.
Psychologists, neuroscientists, evolutionary biologists, and philosophers have argued for decades over the function of and motivation for altruistic behaviour in humans. Why do people often put the needs of others before their own, even when there’s no apparent advantage to them doing so?
Studies using fMRI technology over the past five years or so have shed some light on the subject – it’s apparent that altruistic behaviour activates part of the brain that is associated with reward and is implicated in the drives for food and sex. So why isn’t altruism more common? Apparently, according to researchers, people high on altruistic behaviour are more able to recognise and understand other people’s goals and needs.
I’ve written before about Martin Seligman’s three routes to a happy life – The Pleasant Life, The Good Life, and The Meaningful Life. The smiles on the faces of the people in this article might not meet the scientific definition of evidence, but they certainly make a compelling case for pursuing a Meaningful Life!
Mindsight Psychology Services 