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Anxiety
How to Handle Excessive Worry Related to COVID-19

Craig D. Marker Ph.D. on April 6, 2020

Finding a routine, maintaining social relationships, being active, and reframing are all key elements to keeping anxiety finely tuned during the pandemic.

Finding a routine, maintaining social relationships, being active, and reframing are all key elements to keeping anxiety finely tuned during the pandemic.

Altruism
A Little Altruism Update

Craig D. Marker Ph.D. on March 6, 2011

In starting this project, I wondered how much reading comments and discussing my acts became a reward for myself (rather than a truly altruistic act). Thus, I stopped posting but continued the project.  In the past year I have had some amazing experiences (and some not so good ones)

In starting this project, I wondered how much reading comments and discussing my acts became a reward for myself (rather than a truly altruistic act). Thus, I stopped posting but continued the project.  In the past year I have had some amazing experiences (and some not so good ones)

Altruism
Altruism, Heroics, and Extreme-Altrusim

Craig D. Marker Ph.D. on January 29, 2010

A common contrast to altruistic acts are acts of psychopathy.  Psychopaths are people who have little or not remorse for their actions. They are thought to not feel empathy for others.  Thus, they act in very selfish ways to promote their own welfare.  Thus, it would seem that people who we would consider to be prototypes of altruism (e.g., Mother Teresa or Gandhi) would be considered as complete opposites to psychopaths.  Do extreme altruists share traits with psychopaths?

A common contrast to altruistic acts are acts of psychopathy.  Psychopaths are people who have little or not remorse for their actions. They are thought to not feel empathy for others.  Thus, they act in very selfish ways to promote their own welfare.  Thus, it would seem that people who we would consider to be prototypes of altruism (e.g., Mother Teresa or Gandhi) would be considered as complete opposites to psychopaths.  Do extreme altruists share traits with psychopaths?

Spirituality
Feeding the Homeless

Craig D. Marker Ph.D. on January 25, 2010

My main act of compassion so far has been feeding people who are homeless. It has been my mainstay act of altruism. There are relatively many people who are homeless near me and I can do this pretty anonymously. That is, I can 'sneak up' on them and give them a bag of food pretty quickly without getting praise or really even being identified (I often find people who are sleeping). 

My main act of compassion so far has been feeding people who are homeless. It has been my mainstay act of altruism. There are relatively many people who are homeless near me and I can do this pretty anonymously. That is, I can 'sneak up' on them and give them a bag of food pretty quickly without getting praise or really even being identified (I often find people who are sleeping). 

Altruism
A Little Altruism Experiment

Craig D. Marker Ph.D. on January 23, 2010

 Recently I began a little experiment to see whether I could do one altruistic act a day.  There are many people who do a great many things, so it is often intimidating to think that doing one altruistic act a day could get very far.  However, my hope is that it inspires others to also do generous acts for others. Maybe my one drop in the bucket won't account for much, but one drop is a good start. 

 Recently I began a little experiment to see whether I could do one altruistic act a day.  There are many people who do a great many things, so it is often intimidating to think that doing one altruistic act a day could get very far.  However, my hope is that it inspires others to also do generous acts for others. Maybe my one drop in the bucket won't account for much, but one drop is a good start.