Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have compiled a ton of evidence to suggest that survival of the kindest is responsible for the continuity of our species.
I know what you're thinking. It's Berkeley. But wait.
Professor Dacher Keltner makes some valid points. We're not the toughest species on the block. We don't have armor plating or great fangs or large talons. We're 60 percent water and pretty darn vulnerable. And as babies, we're pretty dependent on mom and dad for several years. That means in order to live long and prosper we need to care for each other and cooperate.
Keltner and his team are uncovering evidence to that end. One of their studies found compelling evidence that empathy may be influenced by a single gene.
Even Darwin said that sympathy was our strongest instinct.
Another University of California Berkeley researcher, social psychologist and sociologist Robb Willer, found that the more generous a person was, the more respect and cooperation they got from their peers.
Other studies at UC Berkeley found
- parents who taught generosity and gratitude had happier and more resilient children
- sympathy is hardwired in our brains and is transferred others through touch
And this study from North Carolina State University found that nice guys finish first in the business world.
It reinforces the adage, "the more you give, the more you receive."
Photo: iStockphoto
Tags: DNA, Genetic Science
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