The Inaugural lecture of the Edmond de Rothschild Foundations Chair in Behavioural Philanthropy, was given by Prof. Giuseppe Ugazio, Holder of the Chair, on 15 October, 2019. The year’s lecture discussed the interlinkage between moral values and neuronal activity, and looked at how behavioural science can be harnessed to better understand what motivates philanthropy.

Giuseppe Ugazio discussed scientific evidence revealing where the brain represents moral values and how it integrates these with material motivations to drive choice. Prof. Ugazio concluded by illustrating how these findings can help us build a theoretical framework that allows characterizing different types of motivations for engaging in philanthropy.

Dr Ugazio is a behavioral scientist studying the neuro-psychological mechanisms that drive complex human social behaviors. Using interdisciplinary experimental methods he probes the affective, cognitive, and behavioral control mechanisms underlying social decision-making. In particular, his research focuses on understanding how these decision mechanisms compete and interact to drive choices related to sacred moral values, honesty, and norm-compliance.

Watch the full lecture below: