Abigail Marsh

Neuroscientist and Psychologist

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Abigail Marsh is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 2004.

Everything Videos

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1hr 24mins

Full Interview

The neuroscience of extremes: ruthless psychopathy to extraordinary generosity

“There's a very pervasive belief that human nature is fundamentally selfish, but I know for a fact that that can't be true in part because my life was saved by a stranger a long time ago when I was 19.”

Abigail Marsh

5mins

Great Question

People say altruism is selfish. They’re not wrong

“If we didn't find helping other people pleasurable, we wouldn’t be altruistic.”

Abigail Marsh

9mins

Explain It Like I’m Smart

The psychopathic brain is different—but it CAN be treated

Humans are among the most altruistic species that we’ve studied, due to our alloparental instincts – a trait we evolved into that allows us to care for offspring who are […]

Abigail Marsh