altruism

Altruism is acting to help someone else at some cost to oneself. It can include a vast range of behaviors, from sacrificing one’s life to save others, to giving money to charity or volunteering at a soup kitchen, to simply waiting a few seconds to hold the door open for a stranger. Learn why altruism is important, how it is influenced by neurological, cultural, and social factors, and how to cultivate it in your own life.