The Greater Good Science Center supports scientific research both by funding it directly and by disseminating research findings that are consistent with the GGSC’s mission. This section describes the Science Initiative which explores the roots and development of social well-being and also the “GoodWiki”—a resource for materials covering the social and biological roots of positive emotions in individuals, families, and communities.

The Social Neuroscience of Positive Emotions: Characteristics, Cultivation, and Consequences
The study of physical and mental health has historically focused on the roots of anger, depression, violence and other negative emotions. The Greater Good Science Center is taking this research in a new direction. In partnership with several top-tier labs, the GGSC is charting the “prosocial nervous system”—the physiological basis of positive (or “prosocial”) emotions such as compassion, gratitude, and awe. Additionally, this initiative explores how these emotions promote physical and social well-being, and it identifies the environmental forces that nurture prosocial behavior. Using interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research methods, this initiative is answering questions including the following: What neurotransmitters, brain regions, and neuroendocrine responses are involved in compassion and altruism? How do early environmental factors—such as family conflict, educational opportunity, and economic disadvantage—influence the development of these biological systems? How do one’s biological makeup and environmental surroundings interact to influence physical and mental health and social well-being? This initiative brings together leading social and biological scientists who together are laying the foundation for understanding the nature of prosocial emotions and how to cultivate them. This research will lead to two central scientific contributions. The first is the development of basic research methods for studying the prosocial nervous system, including behavioral, self-report, and physiological measures. The second is initial evidence for how broad environmental factors influence the development of these prosocial processes. Progress toward a healthier society rests in part upon a scientific understanding of the prosocial facets of human nature. This initiative will catalyze a new generation of scientists interested in this relatively uncharted field, indicate how we can cultivate prosocial tendencies in all relationships, and stimulate a more hopeful dialogue about the prospects for humanity.