Helping Others

Question 1

What explanations are there for helping behaviours?

Answer 1

• Biological
• Prosocial behaviour
• Learning
• Attribution
• Norms
• Empathy

Question 2

What is prosocial behaviour?

Answer 2

Actions intended to benefit others

Question 3

What is a biological explanation for helping behaviours?

Answer 3

Helping as an evolutionary trait of protecting one’s kin and genes including sociobiological factors

Question 4

What is a learning explanation for helping behaviours?

Answer 4

For childhood, instructing children to be helpful while providing a role model and reinforcement.

Question 5

How does role modelling influence helping behaviours?

Answer 5

Role modelling increases incidence helping behaviour, learning by vicarious experience - TYRE STUDY

Question 6

What is an attribution explanation for helping behaviours?

Answer 6

Just world hypothesis (people get what they deserve) - can reduce helping behaviour

Question 7

What are norm explanations for helping behaviours?

Answer 7

1. Reciprocity norm - do unto others

2. Social responsibility norm - help people in need

Question 8

What are Miller’s two types of needs?

Answer 8

1. Need extent (better if limited)

2. Need persistence (better if short term)

Question 9

What is an empathy explanation for helping behaviours?

Answer 9

Understanding or vicariously experiencing another individual’s perspective and feeling sympathy and compassion for them

Question 10

What is the role of arousal in Empathy?

Answer 10

motivation to help = state of arousal and empathy

Question 11

What is the role of true altruism in Empathy?

Answer 11

if alturism reduces arousal, is true altruism when people who help won’t be troubled by witnessing the suffering

Question 12

What is the influence of similar others on empathy?

Answer 12

more likely to feel empathy for similar others

Question 13

What is altruism vs egoism?

Answer 13

to improve another’s welfare or to improve one’s own welfare

Question 14

What is the empathy-altruism hypothesis?

Answer 14

empathetic concern for a person in need produces an altruistic motive for helping

Question 15

What is a situational factor in helping behaviour?

Answer 15

Bystander effect = whereby the presence of others inhibits helping

Question 16

What is Latane and Darley’s cognitive model?

Answer 16

SMOKE FILLED ROOM STUDY - The five steps to helping in an emergency - similar to Sherif’s role of ambiguity (look to others for guidance

Question 17

What are the 3 processes underlying the reluctance of groups to help?

Answer 17

1. diffusion of responsibility: assumption of others responsibility
2. audience inhibition: fear of overreacting
3. Social influence: others provide a model

Question 18

What is the bystanders’ calculus model? (Piliavin et al)

Answer 18

it is the cognitive psychological process determining the costs and benefits of helping vs not helping

Question 19

What are the 3 steps in the bystanders’ calculus model? (Piliavin et al)

Answer 19

1. psychological arousal at others distress
2. labelling the arousal as emotion
3. evaluation of the consequences of helping

Question 20

What are person factors in helping others?

Answer 20

• mood: help more if in a good mood
• relationship with victim: help people we know more
• Urban vs rural: people in smaller towns help more
• Sense of mortality (terror management theory): fear of death promotes helping
• Competency: feel more confident = help more
• Responsibility: feel more responsible = help more
• Gender: males help female victims more

Question 21

What is the role of prior commitment in helping to prevent crime?

Answer 21

more likely to help if a prior commitment to the person

Question 22

How is the ambiguity of a situation counteracted to help prevent crime?

Answer 22

making it clear you need help and try to reduce diffusion of responsibility by singling out individuals in the crowd via eye contact, pointing or direct requests