Altruism

Hank explains the evolutionary basis for altruistic behavior in animals, including vampire bats!

[steviej]

If one gains pleasure from helping others through their altruistic deeds, is that truly altruism?

[leeburkett]

I recall hearing about a study that indicated human brains have a region that, when stimulated, produces feelings of awe. Is this true? If so, I'd love to hear Hank's explanation of just what process is at work here, and how it relates to evolution.

[bethwarn]

I like the connection you made between our big brains and altruism. Thinking long-term about how you might benefit from helping a friend involves a lot of delayed gratification. ...something I'm not so great at in general, but something we humans are better at than other species. Thanks Hank!

[melissabautz]

"Somebody will come and vomit blood into your mouth"
is the real takeaway from this video.

[gaminggoddess]

I had to read that twice to process it, but you explained it better than I ever could.

[ttrev]

One minor thing, more a matter of semantics, but you don't actually have to be able to 'see' the long term advantage of helping someone else move. Just in the big picture it turns out that is an advantage. It does not even have to be a direct benefit to be advantageous. If a society that helps each other overall improves survival, even if the individual act does not bring an advantage the overall effect would very positive. 
So, it makes sense that people can take pleasure from helping each other; there ancestors survived with it so it probably is a helpful behavior that has evolved.
Why do people assume that you are really selfish? It sounds like evolving the feeling pleasure about helping other people, is because it is evolutionary beneficial. When i help someone i feel truly good, and don't expect and often don't get anything in return. And did this before i understood there might be long term advantages. I bet there are many truly Altruistic people who benefit from the behaviors they do without ever understanding, the "selfish" advantages it brings.

[jasonng]

There are definitely many motives for altruism, this one only explains one point to it. There are ones such as helping yet not asking for anything in return, which also has its own smaller parts to it such as doing so out of choice and commitment to doing so (so even if you lost all emotions, because you made a habit and choice to have done it before it will pervade) and other is because you feel happy doing so, or both (where you do so out of choice but don't mind being happy as a side affect).

[Kezajaws]

I disagree with the "favour for a favour" idea. I help people because I like helping people. I compliment complete strangers because I know how much a simple compliment can make someone's day. I get out of the way of people because I know how annoying it is to get stuck behind somebody slow. I helped my best friend move into his new house because it gave me quality time with him.

[whitedove]

Also, in a plant documentary there was a study showing that plants which came from the same mother plant share nutrients with one another to ensure both of their survival, while in pairs which were unrelated competition took place until one of the organisms perished. Fascinating stuff. Keep up the excellent work.

Enlightenment to all sentient beings.

[danielirmscher]

Sure, my friends vomit blood in my mouth like, all the time.

[owenw.]

saying that everyone that ever does things for others always expects something in return implies that a human's default state is self-serving, which probably isn't true. the reason humans have thrived as much as they have in the first place is largely due to cooperation, love, and family.
the title of this video is rather misleading. true altruism is fascinating and scarcely discussed.

[whitedove]

Hey Hank,

First time for Sci Show, loyal fan of Crash Course.

Great episode. I also saw a Yellowstone documentary wherein one elk who has been harmed is being chased down by a pack of wolves. When she is on a cliff with no way of escape another elk put itself between the wolves and the injured elk and scared them off.

That was quite interesting and could also be another sort of unstudied behavior since that definitely doesn't help survival odds and there is no real promise of a situation requiring reciprocity.

[BoysWithTimeToLost]

The "I hope you have friends good enough to vomit blood in your mouth when you need it." got my subscription !

[alejandrinos]

They do expect something in return, but it's not a material reward.
For example, when I help a stranger, I don't even need them to thank me, I know they are at least a little grateful, and that makes me feel important. It's not a selfless act of kindness, I just do it because it feeds my ego.

[leoliu]

I think we do selfless things for selfish reasons

[meKevinWalsh]

...it may work out, but that is an infinitely complex equation to tackle.
3. Maybe the ecosystem itself acts as an ant colony--gaia type theory, the earth as an organism.
4. It has been shown that kindness benefits the health of the giver as well as the receiver, so kindness does actually help survival. Actually kindness has even been shown to benefit the witness of it! Wins all around. I have heard of these studies, but never looked at them myself. I would love an episode on this.

Thank you! I'm also autistic, and I was beginning to think I was the only person who felt this way. Autism pride is about self-acceptance and self-confidence, not arrogance. It's people like you who restore my faith in humanity. :)

[TheObsessiveNerd]

Just used this video for a power point I have to do. Thanks Hank!

[Okai]

Ppl who are not psychopaths do it not to be rewarded

[mhybrid]

Strange, I help a friend move or help him change the tires because of no particular reason. I do not think about what benefits it might bring to me to help. I help because of the sake of helping itself, without having any reasons...