Hello everyone and welcome back. This is Savvy Psychologist. I'm Dr.

Ellen Hendrickson and I'll help you meet life's challenges with evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

I cannot believe this is episode number 250.

So in celebration of this milestone, let us nerd out together over the science behind three of our most common truisms.

And as I mentioned last week, be sure to listen all the way to the end for an important announcement.

But first, let's launch into the science behind truisms, which are, by definition, clear, and evident. We take them at face value because they

make intuitive sense. But are they true? Does the science line up with Grandma's

kitchen table advice.

So let's get right to it to find out.

With Truism, number one, treat others

as you like to be treated.

This is the golden rule, but why on an evolutionary level do we bother being nice? Why do we instinctively teach our kids to share, help, and be kind.

Well, several theories have popped up over the decades.

First came the idea of the selfish gene,

which posited that we are altruistic towards our relatives to maximize survival of the family tree.

But that explanation seemed too narrow.

Why then would we be nice to friends or strangers?

Indeed, the selfish gene doesn't explain that

Sex in the City episode where Carrie's diaphragm gets stuck and Samantha helps her

get it out and I just had my nails done.

Next, the idea of reciprocal altruism came along,

the idea that we might help a non-relative

...