Chapter 12: Altruism and Helping Flashcards
Altruism
A motive to increase another’s welfare without conscious regard for one’s self-interests
Social-exchange theory
The theory that human interactions are transactions that aim to maximize one’s rewards and minimize one’s costs
Social-responsibility norm
An expectation that people will help those needing help
Empathy-based altruism
form of altruism based on moral emotions or feelings for others
Direct Reciprocity norm
An expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them
Indirect Reciprocity norm
sometimes doing something good for someone else encourages them to do good to another tertiary person or party.
Kin selection
The idea that evolution has selected altruism toward one’s close relatives to enhance the survival of mutually shared genes
Social capital
The mutual support and cooperation enabled by a social network
Bystander effect
The finding that a person is less likely to provide help when there are other bystanders
Noticing
You notice less stuff when in groups
Interpreting
Interpreting events leads to increased altruism
Assuming responsibility
Increased assumed responsibility, increased willingness to help
Time pressure
hurried participants passed on by the person
Similarity to us
We tend to help those whom we perceive as being similar to us.
Individual differences
hey have found individual differences in helpfulness and shown that those differences persist over time and are noticed by one’s peers
Network of traits
Those high in positive emotionality, empathy, and self-efficacy are most likely to be concerned and helpful (Eisenberg et al., 1991; Krueger et al., 2001; Walker & Frimer, 2007). Overall, the personality trait that best predicts willingness to help is agreeableness, indicative of someone who highly values getting along with others (Habashi et al., 2016). Not surprisingly, those with callous traits (such as psychopathy) are less helpful and empathic (Beussink et al., 2017).
Particular situation
Those high in self-monitoring are attuned to others’ expectations and are therefore helpful if they think helpfulness will be socially rewarded (White & Gerstein, 1987). Others’ opinions matter less to internally guided, low-self-monitoring people. Sensitivity matters as well. People who are more sympathetic to the victims in emergency situations respond faster when they are the only ones there, but slower when there are other bystanders (Hortensius et al., 2016).
Contribution of gender
The effect of personality or gender may depend on the situation. Men, for example, have been observed to help more in dangerous situations, women as volunteers and charitable givers.
Contribution of religion
Religious faith predicts long-term altruism, as reflected in volunteerism and charitable contributions.
Modeling
we see or read about someone helping, we become more likely to offer assistance.
