Paul J. Zak (ed.): The moral molecule: the source of love and prosperity: Dutton, Boston, 2012, xix + 256 pp. $ 26.95

J Bioecon (2013) 15:195198

DOI 10.1007/s10818-012-9143-3

BOOK REVIEW

Received: 26 July 2012 / Accepted: 30 July 2012 / Published online: 15 August 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2012

Paul Zak is founder and director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University, where he has an appointment as Professor of Economics, Psychology and Management. In The Moral Molecule he weaves an interesting account of the role and evolution of the ancient molecule oxytocin in fomenting human connectivity. The sub-title, the source of love and prosperity describes the related outcomes that Zak thinks follow from healthy oxytocin release and absorption. Zaks book of eight chapters is part science and part autobiography about the insights and difculties that led him into the fresh and unexplored territory of neuroeconomics.

Zak begins with the observation of Adam Smith that humans are fundamentally social creatures. To biologists, sociability has its roots in natural selection. To survive and propagate, humans needed to overcome two problems: rst, how to trust others in ones tribe enough to engage in specialized behaviors (including mating and reproduction); and second, how to remain appropriately on guard against internal and external threats. These contradictory behaviors have biological roots in opposing hormonal messages. Oxytocin lowers ones defense and stimulates emotional bonding; testosterone raises ones guard and augments aggressiveness. When do we trust and when we remain wary? are questions Zak seeks to answer by studying the contextual release of these hormones. In numerous controlled experiments funded by the John Templeton Foundation, the Department of Defense, and others, Zak is able to demonstrate both the release of oxytocin in trustful situations and its impacts on behaviors that signal further trust.

In the standard Trust Game, Player A has an initial endowment of $10 and has the option of donating some of that to an anonymous Player B. The donation is tripled in player Bs account. Player B then has the option of returning some to Player A.

J. B. Wight (B)

Department of Economics, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA e-mail: [email protected]

Paul J. Zak (ed.): The moral molecule: the source of love and prosperity

Dutton, Boston, 2012, xix + 256 pp. $ 26.95

Jonathan B. Wight

123

196 J. B. Wight

Selfish individualism predicts that...