On the other hand, tendencies for altruism aren’t just limited to acts of bravery, it can even be a simple display of kindness like how a friendly neighbor enjoys baking cookies for charity.
Her generosity might not just be a warm heart, but a genetic inheritance from a variant of her altruistic genes.
Indeed, modern scientists have actually identified genes linked to altruism, such as AVPR1A, COMT, DRD4, DRD5, GABRB2 and OXTR genes [2].
In fact, mutation in some of these genes can lead to higher levels of dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, when faced with a situation requiring positive actions.