Editorial: The charitable brain: the neuroscience of philanthropy and giving

The “social brain” refers to the idea that the human brain has evolved to be particularly adapted for social interactions and relationships. It encompasses various cognitive and neural mechanisms that enable humans to understand, navigate, and thrive in social environments (Morese and Palermo, 2022). Key components of the social brain include theory of mind (the ability to understand and infer the mental states of others), empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of others), and social cognition (the capacity to process and interpret social information) (Morese et al., 2018; Morese and Palermo, 2022). The social brain has evolved because humans are inherently social animals, and the ability to cooperate and collaborate with others has been a significant evolutionary advantage. Altruism can be seen as an expression of the social brain, as it relies on an individual's capacity for empathy, compassion, and the ability to recognize the needs of others. Altruistic behaviors are often driven by a desire to promote the wellbeing of the broader community. Philanthropy is an expression of altruism in a more organized and often structured manner. It can encompass a wide range of activities, from donating to non-profit organizations to founding one's charitable foundations. The Research Topic provides a first overview of the knowledge surrounding the multiple ways in which daily life is interwoven with prosocial behaviors. The Research Topic comprises 4 contributions represented by 3 original research articles and 1 opinion paper. To summarize, the editorial contributions published in the Research Topic represent an important first step to open a multidisciplinary discussion on a topic that nowadays has increasingly greater implications for the wellbeing of individuals and communities.