The Trade-off of Selfishness and Empathy in the Human Brain

Abstract

Self-interest and concern for others are both woven into the human evolutionary makeup, and both involve all levels of the brain. A neural network model has previously simulated the tradeoff between those two considerations and the balance between them achieved through the operation of the executive system centered in the prefrontal cortex. More recent behavioral and neural data are leading to refinement of this network model, which is in progress. These recent data are also suggesting both policies and customs that might tip the balance society-wide more toward cooperation and concern for one another.