David Baker on Compassion and Oxytocin

With perfect timing, TED recently released Paul Zak’s talk on “Trust, morality - and oxytocin”, first given at TEDGlobal in July and now on the TED website. A “neuroeconomist” at Claremont Graduate University in southern California, Zak argues that values such as compassion, empathy, trust, respect, love and so on are hard wired in our brains because it makes good evolutionary sense for us to cooperate. And he says he has isolated the molecule - oxytocin - that makes them happen.

People with more oxytocin in their bloodstream appear to be more trusting, more empathic and more respectful than others. Most of us have it to a greater or lesser extent, depending on our mood and the situation (dancing and sex are good for oxytocin production, stress isn’t). Five per cent of us barely produce it at all, and they’re the people not to to business with. Testosterone dilutes its effect, which may be why many men have such a hard time “sharing”. And hugs make the body produce more (which sounds like good news for us oxytocin-depleted Y-chromosome carriers).

It’s not always comfortable to hear moral values, such as compassion, trust and empathy, described in chemical terms. Somehow it feels they should left to moral philosophers and saints. But, even as a non-scientist, I think we should welcome scientists’ investigations into the forces behind moral decisions. To discover a molecule that correlates with compassionate behaviour doesn’t mean that being compassionate is not a moral stance. We’re not slaves to the chemicals in our brains, we are the chemicals in our brains and we do plenty of things to raise or lower their levels at will. To make a decision to raise the level of oxytocin in our bodies - Zak’s prescription is “eight hugs a day” - and reduce, say, levels of the stress hormone cortisol, seems as conscious a moral choice as giving to charity or embracing a religious creed. And if the outcome is the same, then let’s get hugging now.

David Baker is a faculty member of The School of Life and former managing editor of Wired Magazine in the UK.  Head to www.davidbakeronline.com for some more. 

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Comments

[RethinkMundane]

I watched this TED talk and as a philosopher, at first I was taken aback. A reductive account of morality seemed to threaten the strength of moral claims, especially the secular morality and ethics I study. However, I came to the conclusion you did, meaning though we are made up of chemicals, we are not their slaves. Knowledge is a tool to help shape our identity. Moral action is difficult and often contrary to the desires of the public sphere (whether in business, personal goals and gains, maybe online life) and any boost we can give to our ability to act morally is a good thing.

In this case, science gave an insight into moral behavior, though while at first spooky, is ultimately beneficial.

I'm only at four hugs today. Gotta get hugging!