Learning Altruism

Is altruism a skill that develops through practice? Daniel Worthen and Andrew Flescher, two professors at California State University, Chico and authors of the new book The Altruistic Species, believe it is. The conclusion is based, in part, on the findings and observations of their students, who “shadowed” neighborhood altruists as part of a rigorous course that Worthen, a professor of psychology, and Flescher, a professor of religious studies, co-created in 2004 called “What Motivates Altruism.” —Sara Kern