The University is looking for volunteers in Pamplona to understand how altruism works in our brains

The Institute for Culture and Society (ICS), research center Humanities Social Sciences at the University of Navarra, is seeking volunteers to participate in a study that aims to understand how altruism is represented in the human brain. This is a research and neuroscientific research that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to decipher the instructions of altruism.

Specifically, we are looking for young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 who are Spanish speakers, have no history of neurological or psychiatric conditions, and have no contraindications for undergoing an MRI (such as pacemakers, metal implants, pregnancy, etc.). Participants will decide whether they want to donate time or money to nonprofit organizations serving people of various ages, with the option to donate nothing (€0 or 0 hours). At the end of the process, they will have the chance to win a €30 reward . According to the researchers, this study will reveal how the altruistic decision is influenced by what is donated (money or time) and who the recipient of the donation is (from the same generation or intergenerational).

Volunteers will undergo a 45- to 60-minute session in the scanner at the Radiology Department of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona. There, they will be asked to decide whether or not to donate money or time to NGOs. Additionally, to ensure the suitability of the candidates, a MINI neuropsychiatric interview will be conducted, as well as an Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) test to aid in the interpretation of the results.

About the research

This study is part of the research project , funded by the European Commission, which is coordinated by the University of Barcelona and involves institutions from Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Spain, France, Hungary, and the United Kingdom. This project on the long-term socioeconomic impact of population aging on European societies.

Specifically, researchers from group at the ICS of the University of Navarra will study the psychological and neurobiological processes underlying altruistic decision-making. The research to confirm the hypothesis that altruism is core topic social well-being and will attempt to clarify the instructions and neural instructions of altruism, both within the family and outside of it, for example, in nonprofit organizations.

• Those interested in participating can send a non-binding email to Martín Aísa (maisagomez@unav.es)

• More information