chapter 9 &10 Flashcards
prosocial behavior
behavior that is intended to benefit another (i.e helping behavior)
natural selection
traits that promote the succesful reproduction of individual genes will become more frequent in future generations
Kin selection
organisms will often risk their own life to save the life of their realtives; to ensure the safety of their genes they both share
Kin-detection mechanisms
probabilistic cues of genetic relatedness
Reciprocal altruism
Altruism toward non-kin can evolve provided that
- the benefit will be reciprocated in the future
- the benefit provided by another is greater than the cost of providing the initial benefit
“gain in trade”
each party fares better by exchanging favors than not
in-group membership
we are more liklely to help those who belong to the same catergorical groups that we do
costly signaling
conspicuous displays that provide honest information about an observable trait
(ex: “pronking” in deer as an honest sign of agility
proximate explanation
descriptive on HOW behavior works
ultimate explanation
WHY a behavior exsists
arousal/ cost-reward model
help reduce distress we feel when another is suffering
(as cost goes UP, the probability of helping goes DOWN)
The bystander effect
people are less liekly to help a person in an emergency situation when others are around
diffusion of responsibility
everyone assumes someone else will take responsibility
pluralistic ignorance
the mistaken impression that there is no cause for alarm because everyone is unconcerned
attributions of responsibility
we are less likely to help those who seem to be responsible for the predicament