Assessing the Relationship Between Altruistic Behavior and Stress

Abstract

Altruism is the motivation to intentionally help others at a cost to one’s self. Some studies found a negative correlation between altruistic behavior and the stress response (stress is reduced when an individual performs altruistic acts), while others found out that high levels of stress can actually increase altruistic behavior. The objective of this experiment is to gain a more conclusive understanding of the relationship between altruistic behavior and stress. The hypothesis of the present study is that individuals who display more altruism will have lower cortisol levels than those who display more selfish behavior. I also predict that women will display more acts of altruism than males. Participants are 30 undergraduate students at the University of Central Oklahoma. The participants will provide a saliva sample to establish baseline cortisol levels. They will next play the Dictator game to measure their altruistic behavior. Saliva samples will also be obtained after the game. The saliva samples will be analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. Comparisons of the pre- and post-test samples will reveal changes in cortisol levels. Statistical analyses will reveal the relationship between altruistic behavior exhibited during the Dictator game and cortisol levels.