Absolutely Out of My Mind
Phil's Mental Musings
Self Interest Not Always the Driver Behind Decisions
30/04/08 10:23 Filed in: Human
Nature
Conventional wisdom often promotes
the somewhat cynical view that we make decisions and take actions
based on our own self-interest, over and above all other
considerations. This argument is often used to counter the claims
that humans are capable of loftier motivations, such as
self-sacrifice and putting the needs of others ahead of their own
individual agendas. This is an offshoot of research done on what is
called "game theory," a way to test how people act in situations
where they can choose between taking care of their own interests
versus collaborating with others on achieving collective
goals.
Well, researchers at the University of Liecester School of Psychology in the UK have demonstrated that, in fact, we often do subordinate our self-interest in many situations. They found that "team reasoning" is just as or more powerful than self-interest in driving human behavior. In other words, we often put other interests ahead of own, including those of friends, family, colleagues and even employers.
The message? Most of us aren't as self-serving and me-myself-and-I focused as popular wisdom would suggest.
Well, researchers at the University of Liecester School of Psychology in the UK have demonstrated that, in fact, we often do subordinate our self-interest in many situations. They found that "team reasoning" is just as or more powerful than self-interest in driving human behavior. In other words, we often put other interests ahead of own, including those of friends, family, colleagues and even employers.
The message? Most of us aren't as self-serving and me-myself-and-I focused as popular wisdom would suggest.