Altruism and the internal reward system or the opium of the people

Abstract

A set of hypotheses is advanced to explain altruistic behavior in human societies. It is postulated (1) that all human beings have an internal reward system, which is activated by prior social conditioning, especially by conditioning in youth; and (2) that, where there has been prior conditioning or evolutionary preparation, the performance of altruistic acts activates the internal reward system, so that the performer is in fact rewarded. It is suggested that the mechanisms of the internal reward system include the release of mood-controlling substances in the brain, and perhaps elsewhere in the body, such as the opioid peptides. © 1980.