Altruism, happiness, and health: it’s good to be good

Abstract

Altruistic (other-regarding) emotions and behaviors are associated with greater well-being, health, and longevity. This article presents a summary and assessment of existing research data on altruism and its relation to mental and physical health. It suggests several complimentary interpretive frameworks, including evolutionary biology, physiological models, and positive psychology. Potential public health implications of this research are discussed, as well as directions for future studies. The article concludes, with some caveats, that a strong correlation exists between the well-being, happiness, health, and longevity of people who are emotionally and behaviorally compassionate, so long as they are not overwhelmed by helping tasks.

“…Do it with joy!” – Subjective well-being outcomes of working in non-profit organizations

“…Volunteering for a good cause has been shown to be beneficial for one's health and wellbeing (Post, 2005;Meier and Stutzer, 2008;Binder and Freytag, 2013). This beneficial impact also extends to those who work for pay in the non-profit sector, as this paper has…”

“…Altruistic behavior has been shown in many cases to be associated with good outcomes not only for the recipients but also for those who do good (Post, 2005;Brooks, 2006;Meier and Stutzer, 2008). Giving to charities or volunteering one's time are associated with better health and well-being of the altruist, giving credence to the idea of there being a "warm glow" (Andreoni, 1989(Andreoni, , 1990) that provides the altruist with utility.…”

Enhancing Volunteer Engagement to Achieve Desirable Outcomes: What Can Non-profit Employers Do?

“…Garner and Garner (2011) found a link between individuals' satisfaction with support and intent to remain. More widely, it has been noted that participating in voluntary work is associated with positive feelings for volunteers (Post, 2005), and Tidwell (2005) showed that volunteers who identify with their voluntary employer's vision and values are more satisfied and committed with their volunteering work. These findings resonate with studies on corporate sponsored volunteering, which demonstrate that volunteer involvement leads to beneficial outcomes for the volunteers, the voluntary organization, and the employer who sponsored the volunteering activities (e.g., Booth et al, 2009;Jones, 2010;Rodell, 2013).…”

Exploring health navigating design: momentary contentment in a cancer context

“…Altruism results in positive social inclusion, in distraction from personal problems and self-centred anxiety, in increased wellbeing combined with experiences of meaning and purpose and in a more active lifestyle. People who are involved in helping others generally describe their self-esteem as better than those not involved in such activities (Post, 2005). In a setting where helpfulness is based on altruism, each situation contributes to greater contentment for those involved.…”