Our willingness to help others is governed by a specific brain region pinpointed by researchers in a study of patients with brain damage to that region.
May 27 2024University of Birmingham
Prosocial behaviors are essential for addressing global challenges. Yet helping others is often effortful and humans are averse to effort. Understanding how effortful helping decisions are processed in the brain is extremely important." In the study, the researchers focused on the vmPFC, a region located right at the front of the brain, which is known to be important for decision-making and other executive functions.
Related StoriesBy enabling participants to meet – but not see – the person they were 'working' for in advance, researchers were able to convey the sense that participants' efforts would have real consequences, but hide any information about the other person that could affect decision-making.
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