Inverse - 🧠 Let’s Talk About Altruism

Hello! My name is Sarah Sloat and welcome to Sunday Scaries #198. Thanks for reading this chill newsletter for not-chill people.

Sit back, text someone you care about a quick hello, and relax. This week we’re talking about altruism.

This week’s chill icon

This week’s chill icon is obviously Paco. Thanks for the nomination Frances!

Have you encountered a chill icon IRL or during your internet browsing? If so, I want to hear from you. Send an email over to sundayscaries@inverse.com and you might see them in next week’s newsletter.

Let’s talk about altruism

What is the most selfless thing you have ever done? For some people, offering up the last morsel of dessert to their partner might feel like a major sacrifice, but others take selflessness to an extreme. These are the admirable people we hear about on morning TV news: The people who give their kidney to a stranger, travel thousands of miles to deliver humanitarian aid to war zones or risk life and limb to pull a struggling swimmer from the ocean.

But what drives these everyday people to transform into superheroes? The answer may be extreme altruism.

Altruism comes from the Latin word alteri, which roughly translates to “others.” Although the concept has found recent fame thanks to effective altruism proponent William MacAskill, altruism was first described by the 19th Century French philosopher Auguste Comte, who defined it as “an unselfish regard for the welfare of others.”

Being altruistic is associated with a host of benefits, including reduced aggression, increased longevity, greater well-being, and better mental health. But there’s a catch: Exhibiting behavioral and emotional compassion can result in these gains, as long as the altruistic person isn’t overwhelmed by the act of being altruistic. Extreme altruists, for example, are those that might make life-altering or life-threatening choices to help someone else, even a stranger. What happens if the gamble doesn’t pay off?

Some research suggests that high-stakes altruism is motivated by an automatic, intuitive process — altruists help others because it’s the obvious thing to do. But it’s hard to study people who commit real-world acts of altruism, explains Shawn Rhoads, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Done in a moment, scientists can’t really recreate these acts in a lab to study them, and altruists don’t reliably self-report just how altruistic they are.

To try and understand these extreme altruists, in a new study published in Nature Communications Rhoads and his colleagues try to pinpoint the features that best distinguish extraordinary altruists from their peers. The findings reveal traits that can help anyone looking to enhance how they care for others — including you.

“Understanding what leads people to behave in ways that benefit others is crucial in order to improve overall societal welfare,” Rhoads says.

The science of extraordinary altruism

The study included groups of individuals who have performed costly, risky, or rare forms of altruism.

These acts included:

  • Heroic rescues
  • Non-directed and directed kidney donations
  • Liver donations
  • Marrow or hematopoietic stem cell donations
  • Humanitarian aid work

The researchers assessed the personality of 347 altruists, as well as 207 control participants. The altruists reported that they “simply acted as anyone with the same information and opportunity would have,” the study team writes. But measurements of risk perception and taking, cognitive reflection, empathy, and psychopathy, revealed the altruists have a distinct combination of personality traits closely linked to unselfishness: increased honesty-humiliation, reduced social discounting, and reduced personal distress.

What is an extreme altruistic personality?

To find clues to boost your own altruism (and in turn, your well-being and longevity), it is worth digging into the three factors that determine your selflessness — honesty-humiliation, social discounting, and personal distress — a little more.

The HEXACO model of personality structure theorizes that people can best be described using six broad dimensions: honesty-humiliation, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience.

People who exhibit high levels of honesty-humiliation are “unwilling to exploit others for personal gain, tend to be fair and genuine in social interactions and feel no special entitlement or self-importance,” Rhoads explains.

They might also “be more willing to act in ways that benefit others even when it comes at a personal cost,” he adds.

Social discounting describes the “extent to which people are willing to sacrifice resources to benefit others as social closeness declines,” he explains. Generally, people are more willing to sacrifice for family and friends — the people they are close to. They are less willing to sacrifice for strangers. However, people who show reduced social discounting — like these altruists — prioritize the well-being of all people, including strangers.

Meanwhile, people who show low personal distress (which was measured via the Interpersonal Reactivity Index) feel less personal distress in emergencies or in response to the suffering of others.

“People with low personal distress might be better able to take action to help others in need or distress because they are able to manage their own emotional reactions,” Rhoads says.

Interestingly, these are not the personality traits listed when the study team asked the control group how they would describe altruists. This group listed self-focused motivations for altruism, like feeling good about doing good deeds or enhancing one’s reputation. Seemingly the reason to act altruistically is a puzzle for some — but not for actual altruists.

Now look at this oddly satisfying thing

Give it up for this butter moment.

Have you seen something strangely satisfying online or IRL? Send your best examples over to sundayscaries@inverse.com for consideration for next week.

What I’m reading this week

Distract yourself from the scaries with these reads:

And if it’s midnight and you’re still feeling the scaries…

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Sunday Scaries! It’s so appreciated. If you’d like to read earlier issues, you can check them out here.

Share Inverse Daily

Enjoy this newsletter? Share it with a friend.

Follow us: For more stories throughout the day, follow Inverse on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Want to Advertise With Us? Get in Touch.
You're receiving this email because you signed up to receive communications from BDG Media. If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safelyunsubscribe. Or to manage preferences clickhere
BDG Media, Inc. · 315 Park Ave. South · New York, NY 10010 · USA
Copyright 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Older messages

🌌 In Space, The Dead Scream

Friday, April 28, 2023

Plus: A DNA analysis just revealed new details about Balto, the heroic dog. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

⚡️ Can mRNA Technology Hold The Allergy Cure We’ve All Been Waiting For?

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Scientists hope new vaccines and therapies can offer permanent relief. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

⚡️ Four Days Inside The Infinite Church Of Star Wars

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Plus: Can mRNA technology hold the allergy cure we've all been waiting for? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

⚔️ ‘Tears Of The Kingdom’ Is Worth The Wait

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Plus: Our closest look ever at the Martian moon Deimos. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

🌐 VR Legs Are Not Important

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Plus: This nearby galaxy has more planet-building potential than we thought. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

You Might Also Like

AI chatbots keep failing every accuracy test thrown at them

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

PLUS: Why Substack's new subscriber milestone is so significant ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Everything We’ve Written About That’s on Sale at Nordstrom

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Plus: Actually cute plus-size maternity clothes. The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

What A Day: Bad Car-ma

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Elon Musk's politics are sparking a major Tesla backlash, ironically thanks to Trump. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Rohingya refugees just lost half of their food aid. Now what?

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

An interview with Free Rohingya Coalition what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas Hey, this is Sham Jaff, a freelance journalist focused on Asia, Africa and the Americas and your very

Shayne Coplan’s Big Bet Is Paying Off

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025 THE MONEY GAME Shayne Coplan's Big Bet Is Paying Off By Jen Wieczner Photo: Dina Litovsky At 6 am on Wednesday, November 13, eight FBI agents in black windbreakers burst through the

We need your input.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Share your insights & receive a 70% off forever. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

We Talkin’ About Practice?

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Nobody Told Me There'd Be Days Like These ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Seattle startup takes eco-friendly aim at recycling clothing 

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Read AI rolls out enterprise search tool | Hard time for hardware ADVERTISEMENT GeekWire SPONSOR MESSAGE: A limited number of table sponsorships are available at the 2025 GeekWire Awards: Secure your

☕ The beauty of it all

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

A conversation with Ulta Beauty's CMO. March 11, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Marketing Brew Presented By Iterable It's Tuesday. Count Kathy Hochul as an ad buyer. The governor of New York is

🤔 What’s in your wallet? A scam.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Plus, a new streaming deal is the latest gift to Trump from the billionaire CEO and his company — which profits off government contracts. Forward this email to others so they can sign up 🔥 Today on