Study Spots the Brain's Selfishness 'Off-Switch'

Scientists have found that a region of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is responsible for self-control and the suppression of selfish urges.

Normally people will punish behavior by others when it is perceived as unfair, even if doing so will hurt them personally; this practice, known as “reciprocal fairness”, fosters cooperation among people. But when the DLPFC was short-circuited in test subjects’ brains, the subjects acted more selfishly, letting their self-interest override the urge to punish unfair behavior.

This region of the brain is also not fully developed in young people who are often thought to be more selfish.