How being generous can make you happier

GIVERS are happier than takers — and even very small acts of generosity trigger brain changes that make people happier, report scientists at the University of Zurich.

the researchers enlisted 50 volunteers who were given 25 swiss francs (£20) a month: half the group pledged to spend it on others; the rest spent it on themselves. the giving group was asked to accept or reject different options at personal cost, including being charged three francs to give somebody ten.

Brain scans showed that the givers’ brains had greater activity in the areas associated with feeling happier, even after making a simple commitment to being more generous.