Altruism

Altruistic or prosocial tendencies are behaviors that aim to assist others or the broader society even if helping incurs a cost to the helper. Several fields have been interested in understanding altruism in both human and non-human social groups. The development of altruism is complex in humans, as the motives for helping change throughout one's lifetime. Altruistic behaviors have many individual benefits, such as protection against mental illness, increased self-esteem, and greater resiliency in times of hardship. Consequently, researchers are investigating ways to increase altruistic behaviors in humans.