Chapter 9 Key Terms Flashcards
doing something that is good for other people or for society as a whole
prosocial behavior
when members of a society respect follow its rules
rule of law
the obligation to return in kind what another has done for us
reciprocity
a positive emotion that results from the perception that one has benefited from the costly, intentional, voluntary action of another person
gratitude
standards established by society to tell its members what types of behavior are typical or expected
norms
the idea that each person receives benefits in proportion to what he or she contributes
equity
the idea that everyone gets the same amount, regardless of what he or she contributes
equality
interpersonal concern about the consequences of outperforming others
sensitivity about being the target of a threatening upward comparison
getting less than you deserve
underbenefited
getting more than you deserve
overbenefited
feeling bad for living through a terrible experience in which many others died
survivor guilt
when each person does his or her part, and together they work toward a common goal
cooperation
a game that forces people to choose between cooperation and compensation
prisoner’s dilemma
an interaction in which both participants can win (or lose)
non-zero sum game
a situation in which one person’s gain is another’s loss
zero-sum game
ceasing to feel angry toward or seek retribution against someone who has wronged you
forgiveness
following orders from an authority figure
obedience
going along with the crowd
conformity
a strong belief in the reliability and validity of someone or something
trust
the evolutionary tendency to help people who have our genes
kin selection
reacting to another person’s emotional state by experiencing the same emotional state
empathy
when a helper seeks to increase his or her own welfare by helping another
egoistic helping
when a helper seeks to increase another’s welfare and expects nothing in return
altruistic helping
the idea that empathy motivates people to reduce other people’s distress, as by helping or comforting
empathy-altruism hypothesis
the idea that empathy triggers the need for social reward (e.g. praise, honor, pride) that can be gained by helping
empathy-specific reward hypothesis
the idea that empathy triggers the fear of social punishment (e.g. guilt, shame, censure) that can be avoided by helping
empathy-specific punishment hypothesis
the idea that people help others in order to relieve their own distress
negative state relief hypothesis
the assumption that life is essentially fair, that people generally get what they deserve and deserve what they get
belief in a just world
the finding that people are less likely to offer help when they are in a group than when they are alone
bystander effect
looking to others for cues about how to behave, while they are looking to you; collective misinterpretation
pluralistic ignorance
the reduction in feeling responsible that occurs when others are present
diffusion of responsibility
failure to help in front of others for fear of feeling like a fool if one’s offer of help is rejected
audience inhibition
a planned, long-term, non impulsive decision to help others
volunteering
