| By: |
Zak, Paul J.;
Stanton, Angela A.;
Ahmadi, Sheila |
| Abstract: |
Human beings routinely help strangers at costs to themselves. Sometimes the
help offered is generous offering more than the other expects. The proximate
mechanisms supporting generosity are not well-understood, but several lines of
research suggest a role for empathy. In this study, participants were infused
with 40 IU oxytocin (OT) or placebo and engaged in a blinded, one-shot
decision on how to split a sum of money with a stranger that could be
rejected. Those on OT were 80% more generous than those given a placebo. OT
had no effect on a unilateral monetary transfer task dissociating generosity
from altruism. OT and altruism together predicted almost half the
interpersonal variation in generosity. Notably, OT had twofold larger impact
on generosity compared to altruism. This indicates that generosity is
associated with both altruism as well as an emotional identification with
another person. |
| Keywords: |
Oxytocin; generous; altruism; ultimatum game; dictator game; punishing; rejection |
| JEL: |
D01 |
| Date: |
2007–11–07 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:5650&r=neu |