18 - Prosocial and Altruistic Behavior

Question 1

Prosocial behavior

Answer 1

Voluntary behavior intended to benefit another. Prosocial development changes associated with greater emotional understanding, theory of mind

Question 2

Altrustic

Answer 2

Prosocial behavior that is performed without consideration of one’s own welfare. Usually there is some cost to performing behavior. Without expectation that the prosocial behavior will be reciprocated

Question 3

Good vs bad puppets

Answer 3

Even three months will prefer to look at puppets that are shown as “good” in a mini play

Question 4

Prosocial behavior - 1st year

Answer 4

First year - children point to interesting objects, give some to parents, siblings, strangers. These sharing activities do not improve via reinforcement. Preference for cooperative individuals

Question 5

Prosocial behavior over time

Answer 5

At first sharing behavior, preferences for cooperative behavior. Progresses to comforting people in distress, Sharing. Advice. Protection. Recognition of other’s needs. Becomes concerned with acceptance. Lastly, morals/values

Question 6

Consistency in prosocial behaviors?

Answer 6

Individual differences in early prosocial behavior relatively stable. Predict other measures of prosociality later in adolescence and early adulthood

Question 7

Eisenberg’s development paradigm

Answer 7

Test with story - birthday party and girl who fell and hurt leg along the way. Levels:

(1) Hedonistic at 4 years- depends on gains to self or people that are close
(2) Needs oriented - concern, sympathy
(3) Approval seeking - use stereotypes of good and bad to justify behavior
(4) Empathic - Concern with humanness
(5) Transitional - depends on internalized values that are not clearly stated
(5) Internalized - values, dignity, rights

Question 8

Gender differences in prosocial behavior

Answer 8

Girls seem to have more prosocial behavior (acts of kindness, empathy, sharing, comforting). However, gender bias is greater in parental reports than observational studies. Increase with age - socialization effects that result from gender stereotypes, expected norms that are internalized into self-image

Question 9

Evolutionary basis to prosociality?

Answer 9

Evolvable thru kin selection, reciprocal altruism. Chimpanzees show spontaneous helping, empathy, altruism, reconciliation, prosocial. Chimpanzees helped unfamiliar human get an object the same degree as 18-month olds, regardless of awards or costliness

Question 10

Genetic influences of prosocial behavior

Answer 10

May be some genetic basis, as monozygotic twins have higher concordance on prosociality than dizygotic. Single genes affecting behavior rare(small association), but William’s syndrome (positive affect, lack of social inhibition). Variations in 20-30 genes may be associated with some aspect of behavior, but little evidence of specific relationships.

Question 11

Temperament and empathy

Answer 11

Traits such as behavioral inhibition affect empathy - children with higher BI show less empathy to mother when she feigns injury