In a recent Ted Talks, Paul Zak talked about morality as well as the wealth of nations. It was discovered that a certain hormone, oxytocin, is directly related to how wealthy a nation is. You see, it’s the trust that people have in each other that will determine it’s wealth. Oxytocin is the key to creating trust between individuals.

Bonding starts from birth when a mother holds her baby. Oxytocin is released by both. Years ago, Therapist Virginia Satir discovered that children need heart to heart hugs each and every day. She stated that just to live a child needs 4-5 heart hugs per day, for maintenance they need 7-8 and for growth 11+. Hugs release oxytocin. To be truly happy, it will take 8+ hugs per day according to Paul Zak.

Morality comes into play big time when oxytocin is released. We tend to both trust and are more moral in this regard. We also tend emphasize more. People who have low empathy also have very low levels of oxytocin being released (if any at all). I would suspect that psychopaths also have low or no levels of this.

Watch this video of Paul Zak’s presentation at Ted Talks:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAdlU2ETjU&w=480&h=274]

Now, go out give more heart hugs each and every day.

11+ Hugs to YOU,
Bob Choat