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Stephanie Preston knows human and animal empathy as no other. By demonstrating that helping behavior is baked into the mammalian brain, her eye-opening well-written book takes the puzzle out of the 'puzzle of altruism.' -- Frans de Waal, <i>author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist</i> This book does a terrific job of further dispelling the myth that human empathic experience and altruistic behavior, and their neurological substrates, are distinct from those of other animals. It also aptly weaves together neuroanatomy, psychology, and evolutionary theory, a necessary context that's difficult for many in the scientific and lay communities to understand. -- Garet Lahvis, neuroscientist and author The Altruistic Urge is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of human behavior. Those who have a pessimistic view of human nature will be surprised to learn that people often go out of their way to rescue their fellow human beings from dangerous situations at great risk to themselves. Stephanie Preston explains the science behind this extreme 'altruistic response' with new ideas, compelling facts, and an engaging writing style. -- Dario Maestripieri, University of Chicago and author of <i>Macachiavellian Intelligence</i> and <i>Games Primates Play</i>

This book does a terrific job of further dispelling the myth that human empathic experience and altruistic behavior, and their neurological substrates, are distinct from those of other animals. It also aptly weaves together neuroanatomy, psychology, and evolutionary theory, a necessary context that's difficult for many in the scientific and lay communities to understand. -- Garet Lahvis, neuroscientist and author

Stephanie Preston knows human and animal empathy as no other. By demonstrating that helping behavior is baked into the mammalian brain, her eye-opening and well-written book takes the puzzle out of the 'puzzle of altruism.' -- Frans de Waal, author of <i>Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist</i> The Altruistic Urge is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of human behavior. Those who have a pessimistic view of human nature will be surprised to learn that people often go out of their way to rescue their fellow human beings from dangerous situations at great risk to themselves. Stephanie Preston explains the science behind this extreme 'altruistic response' with new ideas, compelling facts, and an engaging writing style. -- Dario Maestripieri, University of Chicago and author of <i>Macachiavellian Intelligence</i> and <i>Games Primates Play</i> This book does a terrific job of further dispelling the myth that human empathic experience and altruistic behavior, and their neurological substrates, are distinct from those of other animals. It also aptly weaves together neuroanatomy, psychology, and evolutionary theory, a necessary context that's difficult for many in the scientific and lay communities to understand. -- Garet Lahvis, neuroscientist and author

Author Information

Stephanie D. Preston is professor of psychology and director of the Ecological Neuroscience Lab at the University of Michigan. She is coeditor of The Interdisciplinary Science of Consumption (2014).

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