
Neuroeconomics of Prosocial Behavior
The Compassionate Egoist
- 1st Edition - August 21, 2015
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Authors: Carolyn Declerck, Christophe Boone
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 0 1 3 0 3 - 8
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 0 1 4 4 1 - 7
This summary of recent research in neuroeconomics aims to explain how and why a person can sometimes be generous, helpful, and cooperative, yet other times behave in a se… Read more

Purchase options

Institutional subscription on ScienceDirect
Request a sales quoteThis summary of recent research in neuroeconomics aims to explain how and why a person can sometimes be generous, helpful, and cooperative, yet other times behave in a self-interested and/or exploitative manner. The book explains a dual process of analysis measuring immediate needs of the individual, relative to long term gains possible through prosocial behavior (e.g. synergy, accumulating profits, (in)direct reciprocity) with the output further mitigated by the motivation of the individual at that moment and any special circumstances of the environment. Ultimately it can be shown that prosocial behavior can be economically rational. Yet even when individuals are intrinsically motivated to act prosocially, they are also able to reverse this behavior when they sense it is no longer adaptive.
The book will further explore individual differences in prosocial behavior, the development of prosocial behavior, and how a personal neural signature forms that facilitates or hampers cooperation. The book includes game theory research, neuroimaging studies, and research in traditional cognitive psychology to better understand human decision-making re prosocial behavior. This will be of interest to cognitive, developmental, and social psychologists, as well as neuroscientists, and behavioral economists.
- Explores: Individual differences in prosocial behavior, The development of prosocial behavior, How a personal neural signature forms that facilitates or hampers cooperation
- Includes: Game theory research, Neuroimaging studies, Research in traditional cognitive psychology
Cognitive, developmental, and social psychologists, as well as neuroscientists, and behavioral economists
- 1.1 The Evolutionary Origins of Prosocial Behavior
- 1.2 What do we Mean by Prosociality?
- 1.3 Hic et nunc Reasons for Prosocial Behavior: Two Routes to Cooperation
- 1.4 Rationality and the Brain
- 1.5 Summary
- References
- 2.1 Opening the "Black Box" of Decision Making
- 2.2 A Model for (Pro)Social Decision Making Based on Incentives and Trust
- 2.3 Reward System Computes the Subjective Expected Value of (Pro)Social Decisions
- 2.4 Cognitive Control System Processes Extrinsic Incentives
- 2.5 Social Cognition System Processes Trust and Threat Signals
- 2.6 Summary
- References
- 3.1 Dopamine
- 3.2 Serotonin
- 3.3 Oxytocin
- 3.4 Summary
- References
- 4.1 How Social Values Become Part and Parcel of Stable Personality Types
- 4.2 Social Values Define the Type of Rationality that Underscores Prosocial Decision Making: A Conceptual Model
- 4.3 Costly Punishment and Strong Reciprocators
- 4.4 Summary
- References
- 5.1 Heuristics and Rationality
- 5.2 Groups Define the Boundaries of Prosocial Behavior
- 5.3 Moving Beyond Parochialism
- 5.4 Summary and Epilog
- References
- Edition: 1
- Published: August 21, 2015
- No. of pages (Paperback): 186
- No. of pages (eBook): 186
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN: 9780128013038
- eBook ISBN: 9780128014417
CD
Carolyn Declerck
Carolyn Declerck is also the author of a Dutch book (Who is the Homo economics?, Leuven: ACCO Press) with the purpose of introducing the principles of psychology to undergraduate students in Economic Sciences.
CB