At fourteen, Amber could boast of killing her guinea pig, threatening to burn down her home, and seducing men in exchange for gifts. She used the tools she had available to get what she wanted, and she didn't care about the damage she inflicted. A few miles away, Lenny Skutnik was so concerned about the life of a drowning woman that he jumped into an ice-cold river to save her. How could Amber care so little about others' lives while Lenny cared so much?

Neuroscientist Abigail Marsh studied the brains of both psychopathic children and extreme altruists and found that the answer lies in humans' ability to recognize others' fear. By studying people who demonstrate heroic behavior and evil behavior, we can learn more about how human morality is coded in the brain. An enlightening read, The Fear Factor is essential for anyone seeking to understand the heights and depths of human nature.