Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan, a faculty member of the Psychology Department, stated that even with many negativities in society, choosing to be a good person and doing good deeds provides positive contributions to ourselves and others. 'While doing good, it is also very important to protect the dignity of the other party. The good we do should not make the person feel burdened. In other words, it is not enough just to do good; it must also be done with grace,' he said. Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan explained that doing good brings happiness not only to others but also to the person doing the good, adding, 'According to research, people who do good are happier than those who receive it. Goodness enhances a person's inner satisfaction and reinforces overall happiness.'
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan stated that doing good activates the brain and body's pharmacy, saying, 'Biochemical changes make a person feel more peaceful, calm, and happy. This positively supports psychological and physical health. Based on all this, we can say that goodness heals.'
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan, a faculty member of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Psychology Department, emphasized the importance of goodness in human life.
Humans can sometimes be loving and kind, and sometimes cruel and evil
Referring to author Leo Buscaglia's words, “We underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a genuine listening, a sincere compliment, or the smallest act of caring, which has the potential to transform life,” Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan stated that throughout history, humans have been a source of both happiness and sorrow for each other.
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan noted that just as there are selfish and cruel individuals among people, there are also those who help others and act selflessly, and he continued as follows:
“Experiments show that 14-18 month old babies are inclined to help a stranger. Furthermore, it has been observed that babies can distinguish between good and bad characters and tend to reward good characters. Many such experiments are cited as evidence that we possess an innate sense of morality and justice. However, humans can sometimes be loving and kind, and and sometimes cruel and evil. Psychologists state that people carry both potentials. This situation reveals that we harbor the seeds of both good and evil within us, and whichever we feed, that one grows. You know the famous story. When the old Native American said that two wolves, one good and one bad, lived within us and constantly fought, his grandson asked, ‘Which one will win?’ The old Native American replied, ‘The one we feed will win.’”
What human behaviors harbor goodness?
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan explained that human behaviors harboring goodness are described as prosocial behaviors in literature, stating, “Prosocial behaviors include acts of altruism, which involve self-sacrifice without expecting anything in return, as well as generosity, compassion, humanity, helpfulness, benevolence, magnanimity, kindness, tenderness, love, respect, devotion, and loyalty.”
As compassion increases, so does happiness…
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan noted that compassion can be defined as the effort to support people in their difficult times, to understand, alleviate, or eliminate their pains, troubles, and difficulties, adding, “Compassion also has an action dimension. Compassion is not just an emotion but also a form of behavior that requires action. Understanding a person's troubles, empathizing, and helping them are part of this process. Pity and compassion are not the same thing. While pity can sometimes create feelings of arrogance and condescension, compassion is built on interest and respect. Lack of compassion is usually defined as being ruthless, insensitive, and hard-hearted. Negative emotions such as selfishness and jealousy can also be intensely observed in uncompassionate individuals. Compassion is a factor that maintains healthy social relationships and increases the happiness of individuals. In a study we conducted, we found positive relationships between happiness and compassion. That is, we concluded that as individuals' levels of compassion increased, so did their levels of happiness.” he said.
Does trouble arise from mercy?
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan also stated that phrases like “Trouble arises from mercy” are used to explain that doing good or being compassionate does not always yield good results and can sometimes lead to problems. He continued, “These words may stem from some people having suffered harm when they did good. However, it is not right to attribute the other party's bad behavior to compassionate behavior. Being compassionate is doing the right thing; the other party's wickedness is a consequence of their own character. Sometimes people use phrases like ‘trouble arises from mercy’ to justify not being compassionate or not doing good. That is, they present these words as a rational justification for explaining the reasons for not showing compassion. However, this proverb might also mean, beyond its known sense, that showing mercy to individuals who violate rules, commit crimes, and are ostracized from society can lead to problems.” he concluded.
It is not enough to do good, it must also be done with grace!
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan noted that while being good can sometimes be seen as naivety, it is always meaningful, stating, “Even with many negativities in society, choosing to be a good person and doing good deeds provides positive contributions to ourselves and others. As Mario Levi stated, in a world with so much evil, doing good and being good is like an act of rebellion, and it is not foolishness but a strong stance. Even if much evil exists and the surroundings are full of bad people, I believe one should not give up on being a good person. However, while doing good, it is also very important to protect the dignity of the other party. The good we do should not make the person feel burdened. In other words, it is not enough just to do good; it must also be done with grace.” he said.
Goodness also affects genetics…
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan also touched upon the effects of doing good on our psychological and physical health, continuing as follows:
“Doing good brings happiness not only to others but also to the person doing the good. According to research, people who do good are happier than those who receive it. Goodness enhances a person's inner satisfaction and reinforces overall happiness. Not only doing good but also witnessing goodness can make people happy in the same way. Even when you recall a good deed you did in the past, you feel good and happy as if you are doing good right now. Doing good also has positive effects on physical health. The risk of death decreases in old age for individuals who regularly engage in volunteer activities. Furthermore, helping others has positive effects on heart health. Research has shown that doing good can even positively affect gene expression.”
Doing good activates our brain and body's pharmacy
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan also stated that doing good leads to positive changes in our brain and body, saying, “Behaviors like helping others affect brain chemicals and help us enter a better mood. Particularly, the release of chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine increases, while the stress hormone cortisol decreases. In other words, doing good activates our brain and body's pharmacy. For example, the hormone oxytocin has anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect against heart diseases. Oxytocin also creates feelings of peace and calm, reduces pain, and strengthens the immune system. These biochemical changes make a person feel more peaceful, calm, and happy. This positively supports psychological and physical health. Based on all this, we can say that goodness heals. Today, many therapists recommend their clients engage in regular acts of kindness.” he concluded.
Doing good increases self-esteem
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan stated that doing good is an action that adds meaning to one's life, saying, “Helping others provides great spiritual satisfaction, and the person is filled with the feeling of having done something meaningful. Furthermore, doing good increases self-esteem. When an individual helps others, they feel proud of themselves internally. When they exhibit virtuous behaviors, their self-respect increases, which positively affects their mental health.” he said.
Being a kind and helpful person also increases attractiveness
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan explained that there is a concept called hedonic adaptation in the field of positive psychology, and hedonic adaptation is the state where things that initially make one happy lose their effect over time. He said, “Helping those in need combats hedonic adaptation because by doing good, we become aware of the riches we possess. This allows us to appreciate our current state and thus increases our happiness. Doing good strengthens social bonds. It builds a social support network and helps us become more liked and trusted. It is not surprising that we feel closer to altruistic, compassionate, and helpful people. Research shows that being a kind and helpful person increases attractiveness.” he spoke.
Goodness also provides societal benefits
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan emphasized that goodness provides benefits not only individually but also socially, and he continued as follows:
“In societies where goodness and kindness are widespread, the general quality of life and happiness level are also high. In such societies, people feel safe, feel they belong to the society they live in, and strive for its development. In societies dominated by goodness, individuals intensely feel social and emotional support. This situation can prevent them from experiencing feelings of loneliness and isolation. As a society, we need to learn to act as a whole, like a single organism. This can only be possible by increasing goodness.”
What can be done to increase goodness?
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Doğan stated that as a society, we need to increase goodness and compassion, saying, “We need to stop making evil, rudeness, unkindness, and a tendency towards violence seem cool. We need to teach our children to do good both within the family and in schools. The best way to do this is to set an example. Because children learn most of all through modeling. This type of learning, being experiential and from life itself, has higher permanence. Children should witness acts of kindness and be appreciated when they do good. The whole point is to make goodness a character trait and a habit. Social media arguably has the largest share in influencing all our emotions and behaviors today. We must leverage the power of social media and initiate goodness movements. We should do something to spread the acts of kindness and benevolence we witness, and for them to be seen by others. I do not believe this will harm the principle of doing good secretly. On the contrary, I believe it will increase people's hope and contribute to the widespread adoption of goodness.” He concluded his words.