Chapter 12 Flashcards
Altruism
Motive to increase another’s welfare without conscious regard of self-interests
Social-exchange theory
The social economic explanation of helping.
Human interactions are transactions that aim to max rewards and min costs. A cost-benefit analysis
Altruistic people had more ___
sexual partners and sex within relationships
Rewards for helping can be ____ or _____
external; internal
do-good/feel-good effect
An internal motivation for helping. Increases positive emotions
How does helping relate to loneliness and death?
Those who volunteered were happier, less lonely, and less likely to die in next 4 years
What is difference in happiness between receiving and giving (time)?
Happiness from giving remains high over time, while declines over time for receiving
How do negative emotions play a role in helping?
Those who experience greater distress are most likely to give help. Helping alleviates negative emotion.
How does guilt relate to helping?
People help to alleviate guilt.
Study on lying and then offered to help score questionnaires. (63 vs 2 min)
Feel-bad/do-good exceptions
Anger and grief does not promote giving to others.
Feel-bad/do-good happens when attention is on others
Are happy people unhelpful?
Happy people are helpful people.
Reciprocity norm
An expectation that people help those who help them.
Balance giving and receiving
Social capital
Supportive connections and cooperative actions that make community healthy
Are reciprocity norms stronger in Asia or America?
Asia
Pledging money and favors study
Those who had someone do favor for them previously are more likely to make a charity pledge
Social-responsibility norm
People should help those who need help. Without regard to future exchanges.
Example of a social-responsibility norm
If someone drops a book, you should pick it up
How are responses to social-responsibility norm situations tied to attributions?
We are less inclined to help those who made their own mess. Attribution of whose fault matters.
Example of social-responsibility norm and Tony the psych student
Tony asked for class notes. If he missed class due to illness, I’d be more likely to give notes than if he’s asking cuz he was lazy.
Gender and receiving/asking for help.
What’s the collectivistic/individualistic explanation?
Men help females more than males. Females help equally.
Women are more likely to ask for help.
Women are more collectivistic
Evolutionary theory of helping
Self-sacrifices will not preserve. Cooperation.
Kin selection, reciprocity, and group selection help overcome selfishness
Kin Selection
Parents who prioritize children are more likely to pass their genes on. Self-sacrifice for children.
How did fraternal twins and identical twins differ in cooperation?
Twice as likely for identical to cooperate. Suggests that more genes shared between each other –> more cooperation
How does kin selection relate to in-group?
We share more genes with neighbors than foreigners. In-group favortism can be explained through kin selection.
Evolutionary view of reciprocity
Traitor if don’t reciprocate. Punished if no reciprocate.
Group Selection
Groups of altruists outlast groups of non-altruists.
Societies have evolved ethical/religious rules.
Level of explanation for each theory of altruism:
Social-exchange: Psychological
Social norms: Sociological
Evolutionary: Biological
Egoistic distress reduction vs. Empathy-based (genuine) altruism
Helper’s own welfare vs. the person helped. People help even when own mood unaffected.
Do evolutionary psychologists believe selfish genes are more likely to be passed or genes of self-sacrificing?
Selfish
Bystander Effect
A person is less likely to help when there are other bystanders
Why bystander effect?
One is less likely to notice, interpret as emergency, and assume responsibility
Bystander effect and sexual assult
MeToo movement, soldiers in military, etc.
What phenomenon was a part of George Floyd’s death?
bystander
Prosocial models and helping
Prosocial models increase altruism. After hearing someone help, one is more likely to help.
How does time pressure influence helping?
Decreased helping by a lot.
Similarity bias and helping
We help people who are similar in appearance and beliefs.
Does similarity bias extend to race?
Kind of. When norms are ambiguous, there seems to be discrimination.
Personality of those who share treats when young
Politically progressive views
Brain differences in those who donate a kidney
They’re more reactive to observing someone else’s pain
Which trait best predicts willingness to help?
Agreeableness
Which traits are present in those who are not helpful and lack empathy?
Narcissism/Psychopathy
Social class and helping.
especially when __
Less privileged = more helpful
especially when nobody is looking
Helping for those randomly assigned to be upper class
Even those assigned showed lower empathy.
When faced with potentially dangerous situations, which gender is more likely to help strangers?
Men
Medal for heroism in saving human life, what percentage are male?
91%
Which gender is more likely to donate kidney, risk death as holocaust rescuers, and volunteer with Peace Corps and Doctors of World?
Women
Which gender respond with greater empathy to friend problems?
Women
Evidence of women donating more
single women donate more than single men, men donate more when married, and female-headed households donate more than male-headed.
How does religious priming influence generosity?
Increases ‘good’ behaviors.
Religion vs. God priming
God primes help to outgroup, Religion to ingroup
Where is religiosity strongest for prosocial effect?
In countries where religious behavior is personal choice. If it’s your idea, religion promotes helping.
How does personalized appeal influence helping?
Way more effective to promote helpfulness than posters/media.
What’s deindividualized?
Bystanders who are not personally identified. Individualizing helps with interpreting.
How does guilt-laden (awakening guilt) influence helping?
Guilt-laden people are helpful people.
Why might personalized appeal help with helping for bystanders?
makes bystanders more self-aware
Asking for large or small amounts prompts giving?
Small amounts “even a penny would help” (unless they’ve given previously. bigger requests –> bigger donations for those)
How does labeling people help with generosity?
Saying someone is a generous person makes them more willing to give in future (self-image).
Moral Exclusion
Perception of certain people as outside boundaries of applying moral values/rules
Psychic numbing
people more willing to donate to one than 2 children. People get numb to big numbers.
How can altruism be socialized?
First need to counter natural ingroup biases
How can we model altruism?
Don’t publicize bad habits. Read about helping makes more help. Reminded of norms help too.
How effective is prosocial modeling in media?
Pretty good. For kids especially. Prosocial songs also helped.
How might service learning or volunteer programs in school curriculum help?
Learn by doing.
Does learning about bystander effect help combat it?
Seems to be a bit. 1/4 –> 1/2 helped after 2 weeks.
In social norms for altruism, what’s the external and internal motivators?
External: reciprocity
Internal: social-responsibility
In evolutionary theory for altruism, what’s the external and internal motivators?
External: reciprocity
Internal: kin selection
What are the 2 routes to helping?
1) genuine altruism (empathy)
2) self-serving relieve distress.
4 Characteristics of Altruistic Personality
Empathy
Moral Reasoning
Social Responsibility
Compassion
