Elizabeth Svoboda

Tyler Doohan, 9, awoke when flames swept through his family's trailer last month in Penfield, NY. Once Tyler realized what was happening, he was able to wake six of his family members and guide them to safety. What would motivate a child like Tyler to put others' safety ahead of his own?

Do “Hero's Journey” Narratives Create Heroes?

Tales of personal growth, selfless sacrifice, and triumph against great odds exert a powerful pull on us. But do the stories we absorb actually affect how we live our lives?

Tales of personal growth, selfless sacrifice, and triumph against great odds exert a powerful pull on us. But do the stories we absorb actually affect how we live our lives?

It's the sense of deep satisfaction they get that makes some altruists “lifers”: They're so steeped in the joy that comes from helping others that they can't imagine doing anything else.

Is Altruism Ever Pure?

When I told people I was working on a book about the science of heroism and altruism, some sounded skeptical. “There’s no such thing as true altruism,” they would say.

When I told people I was working on a book about the science of heroism and altruism, some sounded skeptical. “There’s no such thing as true altruism,” they would say.

My book, What Makes a Hero?: The Surprising Science of Selflessness, has officially launched! Does science offer us realistic hope to become more compassionate as a species? And do you have to make headlines to lead a truly heroic life?

It's tough to think of a starker real-life crisis of conscience than the one faced by Jan Karski. Karski was a World War II Polish underground member who gathered important information about Poland and reported it to the country's government-in-exile. While carrying out this mission, Karski encountered evidence of a colossal crime: the destruction of the European Jews.