Lecture 19 + Lecture 20 - Helping Behaviour

Question 1

(reading):

Gilovich et al. (2018): Chapter 14

Answer 1

(reading):

Question 2

(lecture):

Describe the story of Wilson Ross.

Answer 2

(lecture):

See slide 4

Question 3

(lecture):

Describe the story of Kitty Genovese.

Answer 3

(lecture):

See slide 5

Question 4

(lecture):

Define Altruism.

Answer 4

(lecture):

Helping that benefits others but requires self-sacrifice on the part of the helper

• no regard for personal consequences, potential harm
• no expectation of receiving a reward

Question 5

(lecture):

Define Prosocial behaviour.

Answer 5

(lecture):

Helping that benefits others, regardless of motives
- a broader category than altruism

Question 6

(lecture):

See slide 9 + 10

Answer 6

(lecture):

Question 7

(lecture):

List the 5 perspectives on helping (of which will be described later)

Answer 7

(lecture):

1. Decision-making
2. Learning
3. Social Norms
4. Evolutionary
5. Social Exchange Theory

Question 8

(lecture):

Pesperctives on helping:

Describe the decision-making perspective – Darley and Latané

Answer 8

(lecture):

A number of decisions need to be made that influence helping behaviour in a potential emergency.

Read slide 15

The stages in deciding to help:
Read slide 15

Studies that deal with each of these stages:
Read slide 16-20

Question 9

(lecture):

Pesperctives on helping:

Describe the Learning perspective.

Answer 9

(lecture):

We learn to help through reinforcement, modelling, and observational learning.

See slides 22-25

Question 10

(lecture):

Pesperctives on helping:

Describe the Social Norms Perspective.

Answer 10

(lecture):

• internalise social “rules” about helping
• help because society dictates that we help

Key norms:

• social responsibility - help those dependent upon us
• reciprocity - help those who help us
• social justice - norms about fairness and equity

Question 11

(lecture):

Pesperctives on helping:

Describe the Evolutionary Perspective - Is helping in the genes?

Answer 11

(lecture):

More likely to help those genetically most “close” to ourselves
- most likely to help healthy offspring

Why do we help strangers?
- norm of reciprocity

Question 12

(lecture):

Pesperctives on helping:

Describe the Exchange Perspective

Answer 12

(lecture):

Look to maximise rewards and minimise costs.

help is rewarding because ….

1. we may need help in future (reciprocity norm)
2. relieves distress of seeing someone suffer
3. we get positive feedback
    4. it can alleviate physical pain (see Wang et al., 2020, PNAS)

Question 13

(lecture):

Read slide 29

Answer 13

(lecture):

Question 14

(lecture):

Read slide 30-33

Answer 14

(lecture):

Question 15

(lecture):

Describe situational factors of helping:
The presence of others.

Answer 15

(lecture):

See slide 35-36

Question 16

(lecture):

Watch video on slide 37, and read slide 38-50

Answer 16

(lecture):

Question 17

(lecture):

Describe situational factors of helping:
The environment.

Answer 17

(lecture):

See slide 51-57

Question 18

(lecture):

Describe situational factors of helping:
Primes.

Answer 18

(lecture):

See slide 58-60

Question 19

(lecture):

How can we increase helping?

Answer 19

(lecture):

See slide 62-69

Question 20

(lecture things to ponder):

Is altruism the same as prosocial behaviour?

What are the main explanations for prosocial behaviour?

How does the presence of others influence whether we help someone?

What types of situational factors influence prosocial behaviour?

How can we increase prosocial behaviour?

Answer 20

(lecture things to ponder):