Behavioural Bytes Archives
For the armchair philosophers out there (and yes, the diehard Friends fans), it’s a question that never gets old: If doing something kind makes you feel good… is it still altruism?
As we contribute our 67 minutes of service this Mandela Day, it’s hard not to notice that little lift we get after helping someone out. And neuroscience, it turns out, backs that up.
Acts of empathy activate mirror neurons, trigger rewarding brain chemicals like oxytocin and dopamine, and strengthen the very circuits that help us regulate emotion and build resilience. In other words: our brains are wired to enjoy doing good. And with each kind act, they get better at craving more of it. We talk about that a lot at BCA, especially when we look at empathy as a driver of behaviour change (that's why it is the "E" in our BEST model!).
So, if no good deed is ever truly selfless, maybe that’s not a bug. Maybe it’s a feature. Maybe the fact that we get something back is exactly what keeps the cycle going.
Selfless or not, good deeds add up.
Share your Mandela Day story with hashtag#67MinutesForOurBrain and tag a friend to keep the chain going.
