Helping others

Question 1

What is prosocial behavior?

Answer 1

Prosocial behavior includes actions intended to benefit others, like helping, sharing, donating, cooperating, and volunteering.

Question 1

Explain the evolutionary perspective on why people help others

Answer 1

The evolutionary perspective suggests actions like kin selection, where people preferentially help genetic relatives to ensure the survival of shared genes.

Question 2

What is the Selfish Gene Theory?

Answer 2

The Selfish Gene Theory posits that our genes influence us to act in ways that favor the reproduction and survival of our genetic material.

Question 3

Define reciprocal altruism and provide an example.

Answer 3

Reciprocal altruism is helping others with the expectation of future reciprocation. An example is aiding a neighbor, expecting they will help in return later.

Question 4

What factors determine when people are likely to help?

Answer 4

Factors include the situational context, social norms, personal capacity, perceived need, and the bystander effect.

Question 5

Explain the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis.

Answer 5

This hypothesis suggests that empathic concern for someone in need can predict helping behavior.

Question 6

What personality traits and cultural backgrounds influence who is likely to help?

Answer 6

Traits like empathy and moral reasoning, and a cultural background emphasizing group harmony, can increase the likelihood of helping.

Question 7

What factors influence who receives help?

Answer 7

Factors include perceived similarity, the attribution of responsibility for the predicament, and the visibility of the need.

Question 8

Describe the study by Stocks et al. (2009) regarding empathy-altruism.

Answer 8

This study investigated the role of empathy and memory in helping behaviors, finding that higher empathy levels increased the likelihood of helping.

Question 9

Define the bystander effect.

Answer 9

The bystander effect is the phenomenon where people are less likely to offer help in an emergency when other bystanders are present.

Question 10

What did Darley & Latané’s Cubicle-Seizure Study find about the bystander effect?

Answer 10

They found that with one bystander, most people helped quickly, but with more bystanders, helping decreased and never reached 100%.

Question 11

List the five steps to helping in an emergency.

Answer 11

1. Noticing the emergency.
2. Interpreting the situation as an emergency.
3. Taking responsibility to help.
4. Deciding how to help.
5. Providing help.

Question 12

What are the factors that influence whether good or bad moods lead to prosocial behavior?

Answer 12

Good moods often increase helping behavior, influenced by positive thoughts and the desire to maintain the mood. Bad moods can also increase helping, especially when individuals take responsibility for their mood or focus on others.

Question 13

How does prosocial media influence behavior?

Answer 13

Exposure to prosocial media has been found to have a positive association with prosocial behavior, encouraging actions like fairness and cooperation.

Question 14

Discuss the role of role models and social influence in prosocial behavior.

Answer 14

Role models influence prosocial behavior through imitation and observation. Social influence, such as peer pressure, can also drive prosocial actions like charitable giving.

Question 15

What are the characteristics of an altruistic personality?

Answer 15

An altruistic personality is characterized by traits like high agreeableness, honesty, humility, moral reasoning, and strong empathy.

Question 16

How do cultural factors affect prosocial behavior?

Answer 16

Cultural factors like religion and individualism vs. collectivism play a role, with varying impacts on how and towards whom prosocial behavior is directed.

Question 17

Who is more likely to receive help based on interpersonal factors?

Answer 17

Those more likely to receive help are often physically attractive, not overweight, and not perceived as responsible for their situation.

Question 18

Describe Levine et al.’s study on helping ingroup members.

Answer 18

Levine et al. studied soccer fans, finding they were

Question 19

How do gender differences manifest in helping behavior?

Answer 19

Men are more likely to help in dramatic ways, especially in competitive situations, while women are more likely to provide social support and ask for help.