| Why would happiness stop at £50k? US scientists have declared that happiness is not increased by earning more than £50,000 a year. Oh really?Until you reach an annual salary of 50 grand, every penny counts in the human quest for happiness: after that, according to US scientists (or "top" US scientists, as I believe they like to be known), it really doesn't make much difference. You could be on £100k or £10m; your net joy will be the same. There is very little emotional difference between Jane Asher and Bill Gates.It has the ring of bollocks, doesn't it? The researchers explain it by saying, "Money can provide only so much cushioning against the pressures of bringing up a family, running a home and holding down a job." What they really mean is, you can't delegate children entirely, unless you live in Victorian times. Running a home is very easy to delegate. So they should, as a control, remove people with children from the study, whereupon they would discover that parents just moan a lot, and money rocks.This study represents an enough-is-as-good-as-a-feast approach, as you might take with food. In fact, money is more like booze: unless you are missing a gene or don't like the taste, you want whatever you've got in front of you, plus some more. Money was only invented as a metaphor for the human trait of insatiability.Huh. So they are right. Fifty grand is all you need, for precisely this reason: no amount is ever enough for anyone. You will never be satisfied. But in this state of dissatisfaction, it helps for overall happiness if you're not also hungry and worrying about rent. They don't call them top scientists for nothing, you know.Who earns close to £50K?£55,921 Senior local government official£51,789 Police chief inspector£50,143 Software consultant£49,466 Inner London headteacher/deputy head£46,451 Inner London consultant midwifeSources: ONS, police-information.co.uk, nhscareers.nhs.uk, tes.co.ukPayPsychologyZoe Williamsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Humans found a nicer way to evolve Kindness and co-operation have played a crucial role in raising humans to the top of the evolutionary tree, argues Frans de WaalMost popular accounts of evolution stress the innate selfishness of the process. Species change because individuals are driven by a blind urge to thrive at the expense of others, it is claimed. Frans de Waal begs to differ.The 61-year-old head of the primate behaviour department at Emory University, Atlanta, believes the success of Homo sapiens rests primarily with our capacity for empathy and our urge to understand and appreciate others. We possess an innate sensitivity to the emotional status of other members of our species. Indeed, this understanding is possessed by most mammals, particularly primates, but especially by humans. We have thrived on the milk of human kindness, says de Waal.Most interpretations present evolution as a selfish process. Do you believe this blinds us to understanding the importance of cooperation?Yes. We need to separate the process of evolution – which is, indeed, a self-serving process – and the actual motivations of animals. For example, sex evolved as a means to ensure reproduction, but not everyone thinks about reproduction when they are having sex. That is why we have the morning-after pill. So although a characteristic may have evolved for a selfish reason that does not mean it operates, psychologically, in a selfish way. That is why empathy evolved.But what triggered its arrival?There is an increasing consensus among biologists that empathy arrived with the evolution of maternal care in mammals. A female needs to be in touch with her offspring and understand when they are in danger or trouble. That probably explains why women tend to be more empathetic than men. There are also biochemical clues. The female mammalian hormone oxytocin seems to be a key controller. If you study cooperative and competitive behaviour among a group of men and women, and then you spray them with oxytocin, you get an increase in trust and empathy in those behaviours. That occurs because of this ancient link between maternal care and empathy.The crucial point is that all mammals are capable of displaying some kind of empathy. At its basic level, an animal becomes sensitive to the emotions of others and often adopts some of those emotions. If one is happy and joyful, the others become happy and joyful. That is called emotional contagion and it has been studied in many animals, even mice.However, more complex animals go beyond this. They try to understand the origins of another animal's emotional status – to try to appreciate why they are sad or happy. Mice don't do that but animals such as primates, dolphins and elephants do. In humans, this emotional perspective appears around the age of two and correlates to the appearance of self-awareness. That link is displayed across species. The more self-aware an animal is, the more empathetic it tends to be.So how important has empathy been in the evolution of Homo sapiens?It has been extremely important. It holds our societies together and drives us to care for the sick and the elderly for example. It also allows us to get along in cities. Chimpanzees – which can be very tolerant of others – would simply not put up with being surrounded by strangers of their own species and would start killing one another. Humans do not do this. They put up with masses of strangers around them. In that sense, we are very strange: we can tolerate others in huge numbers.So is it harmful to focus on our alleged selfishness?Yes. It is extremely dangerous. Many economists are great believers in the idea that everything in nature is competitive and that we should set up a society which is competitive to reflect that. Anyone who cannot keep up, well too bad.I believe that is a total misinterpretation of the facts. The individual is not all-important. Yes, we can be selfish but we are also highly empathetic and supportive. These features define us and should be built into society.EvolutionBiologyRobin McKieguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Pioneer of In Vitro Fertilization Wins Nobel Prize Robert G. Edwards of Britain won the prize in medicine for a breakthrough that has helped millions to have children. feeds.nytimes.com |
Today's Mystery Bird For You To Identify This lovely mystery bird has such a large range that it can be seen throughout Europe (even in the UK) as well as Africa. Can you name this species and tell me if it's a male or female?Mystery Bird photographed at Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]Image: Dan Logen, 8 January 2010 [with binoculars].Nikon D300s, 600 mm lens, ISO 1000, f/8, 1/320 sec.This lovely mystery bird has such a large range that it can be seen throughout Europe (even in the UK) as well as Africa. Can you name this species and tell me if it's a male or female?Daily Mystery Bird Rules: 1. Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification, keeping in mind that more than one field mark is often necessary to distinguish between species. IDs without any supporting information are not valid and may be deleted by the moderators. 2. Expert and intermediate level birders: do NOT try to be the first to blurt out the mystery bird's ID. Instead, please provide helpful hints, such as descriptions, literary references, puns, personal anecdotes, and other forms of discussion and assistance for beginning birders and for those following on their iPhones without naming the species. Expert and intermediate birders are free to name the bird species 24 or more hours after it was first published.3. Each mystery bird is usually accompanied by a question or two. These questions can be useful for identifying the pictured species, but may instead be used to illustrate an interesting aspect of avian biology, behaviour or evolution, or may be intended to generate conversation on other topics, such as conservation. 4. Each bird species will be demystified 48 hours after publication. If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciate audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
The surprising truth about what motivates us Why do people give to charities? Volunteer? Write blogs -- for free? Why do we do the things we do? This interesting video provides a few clues.Why do people give to charities? Volunteer? Write blogs -- for free? Why do we do the things we do? This interesting video provides a few clues. This video, animated by RSA Animate and adapted from Dan Pink's talk at the RSA, illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace.Are you on-the-go while (trying to) watch this? Download the RSA Animate iPhone app -- for free.The speaker, Daniel Pink, is an American writer who has published four books that examine the changing world of work. For over 250 years the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) has been a cradle of enlightenment thinking and a force for social progress. Their approach is multi-disciplinary, politically independent and combines cutting edge research and policy development with practical action. GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |