On fairness and cooperation

“Nations measure gross domestic product, economists measure consumer confidence, corporations calculate net worth, and employees are keenly aware of their salaries, often with an underlying assumption that these numbers indicate something about public welfare and individual well-being. Surely, these factors play an important part in well-being; however, the fact that fairness and cooperation activate the same hedonic regions of the brain as financial gain is an indication that these factors may merit equal consideration in the structuring of organizational settings.”

- Golnaz Tabinia & Matthew Lieberman. Fairness and Cooperation Are Rewarding. Evidence from Social Cognitive Neuroscience [PDF]