I'm Green because I'm better than you.

Bought the new environment friendly Tea? Green T-shirts, bags, accessories? Was there a small crowd witnessing your altruistic deed at the time? No? Well done you, as new research suggests that people are more likely to buy green products when said products are costlier than their regular equivalents and also when such a purchase is being made in public.

Research on the shopping habits for environmental friendly products equated buying green products, which are costlier and perhaps of a more basic quality to the Biologists' interpretation of Altruism. Biologists associate altruism with a 'costly signal' which in turn is usually associated with status.

Experimental data revealed that conditions which led to perception of a higher status resulted in a heightened desire for Earth-friendly products. However this was only observed when

shopping was done in public as opposed to private. Participants were also more likely to buy green products when these were significantly higher in price than non-green counterparts. The researchers behind the study are hopeful that these findings may pave a way into manipulating status and competition related messaging to promote Environmentalism.

There has been some truly fascinating research in the Neurosciences linking brain regions to some of the most sophisticated and 'human' experiences and traits like empathy and altruism. E.g. Scientists have found that activation of the Posterior superior temporal cortex (pSTC) predicted subjects' propensity to engage in altruistic acts.

It is of course incredible to see how the discipline of Neuroscience, and specifically functional imaging has evolved from what the cynics argued was glorified phrenology to an instrument unravelling the very nature of being human.

Read More:

1. Griskevicius, Vladas; Tybur, Joshua M.; Van den Bergh, Bram, Going green to be seen: Status, reputation, and conspicuous conservation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (2010)

2. Tankersley, D, Altruism is associated with an increased neural response to agency. Nature Neuroscience. (2007)