How altruism can be good for your health : peer pressure and happiness

Altruism, the act of giving, is common in non-human animals in the form of reciprocal altruism (tit-for-tat). Among humans, altruism can be both reciprocal and pure (the donor receives no physical benefit). Research indicates that altruistic acts, such as making a donation, activate the brain’s pleasure centres. The bystander effect, the phenomena where people are either inhibited or encouraged to perform an action when in the presence of others, depending on the number of people around, also appears to have an effect on the frequency of altruistic acts. This thesis examines whether people are more likely to perform an altruistic act in the presence of others (bystanders) and if this in turn results in greater levels of happiness compared to levels of happiness following an altruistic act performed in the absence of others. The results are framed in the context of the evolutionary perspective of psychology.