Lecture 5

Question 1

Are humans altruistic?

Answer 1

They have the capacity to be, some humans risk their lives for others. Sometimes they risk their life for people they don’t even know, for example, Schindler. However, in some cases humans aren’t helpful, this can be found because of a number of reasons. An example of this is Kitty Genovese.

Question 2

Define prosocial behaviour
Define helping behaviour
How is this different to prosocial?

Answer 2

This is the biggest category of humans being positive towards others. It consists of acts that are viewed as positive by society, aka social norms. They have positive social consequences like friendship.
Helping behaviour is a sub-category of prosocial behaviour, it consists of intentional acts to benefit others.
This is different because it heavily relies on intention whereas prosocial can be unintentional.

Question 3

Define altruism

Answer 3

Altruism is a sub-category of helping behaviour. It consists of self sacrificing behaviour where one doesn’t expect any reward or personal gain, unlike prosocial. It’s motivated.

Question 4

Does altruism truly exist?

Answer 4

As already stated, pro-social behaviour expects a reward like feeling good about yourself, this is empathic joy. However, this happens with all pro-social behaviour, including altruism. Therefore, altruism has been modified so that if one is intentional with their actions but don’t expect to feel good then it’s altruistic.

Question 5

Why would one be altruistic?

Answer 5

There are many internal and external factors involved. The internal factors include thoughts and feelings and the external factors include the situation and the perception of those in need. All of these factors together form one’s intention.

Question 6

Discuss evolution in relation to altruism

Answer 6

Evolution argues that behaviour is selected when it enhances survival, however, altruism doesn’t do this. Contemporary evolution has now considered inclusive fitness, for example, people are more altruistic to those they’re inherited to (kin selection). This still doesn’t account for all altruism.

Question 7

Discuss Bernstein’s study about kin selection and altruism

What about Korchmaros study?

Answer 7

The participants were given a scenario from which they had to make a choice. The relatedness, health and situation of the scenario was manipulated. Close kin were helped significantly more. Sick people were helped more in everday situations but healthy people were helped more in life or death situations.
They replicated the study with actual kin and people helped those who were more genetically close and emotionally close. The genetic proximity also increased emotional closeness.

Question 8

Give 2 issues with the evolutionary perspective explaining altruism

Answer 8

You can’t find causal relationships between altruism and fitness. People help strangers or help animals from different species which has no evolutionary advantage.

Question 9

Discuss the social exchange theory about altruism

Answer 9

This is part of the social learning perspective. This believes that humans are conditioned to help in order to maximise rewards (motivation). The rewards can be physical like gaining money or they can be emotional like social approval. This coincides with the negative state relief hypothesis; when upset we are more inclined to help others as it makes us feel better.

Question 10

Discuss altruism in terms of empathy

Answer 10

Altruism depends on how one responds emotionally to the victim. Batson believed this was critical. The social exchange theory believes that when one isn’t empathetic, they will only be altruistic if it’s in their own interest. However, if you do feel empathetic, you’re own interest doesn’t come into account.
Batson found that if there is a high cost when you don’t help, then you will be pro-social no matter how empathetic you feel. However, if there is a low cost from not helping, then you will only help when you feel empathetic. He also found that the same thing happened with feedback, so if the participants had low empathy and were told they would receive no feedback, then they were less likely to help.

Question 11

Define empathy

Answer 11

The ability to sense another’s experience and to identify with the thoughts and feelings involved.

Question 12

What is the bystander effect?

Answer 12

It’s the idea that the more people there are witnessing, the less inclined an individual is to help because there’s a diffusion of responsibility.

Question 13

Describe Latane and Darley’s study on the bystander effect

Answer 13

Participants completed a questionnaire in a room that gradually filled with smoke. They alerted the experimenter 3/4 of the time when alone but only 10% of the time when they were accompanied with passive confederates.

Question 14

Describe Darley and Batson’s study on situational factors affecting altruism

Answer 14

Participants were going to give a presentation and they were either told that they were late or on time. On the way to the presentation room, the participants passed a man slouched in a doorway. Significantly more people helped the man when there was no time pressure.

Question 15

List 4 situational variables involved in an individual being altruistic

Answer 15

Psychological state; if you’re in a good mood then you’re more likely to help.
Competence; if you have the skills to help then you’re more inclined.
Demographic variables; the population size will affect the likelihood of one helping.
Personality; Factors like locus of control come into play also.

Question 16

What is the attribution theory?

Answer 16

When approached for help, we ask ourselves why they need our help, from which you decide the responsibility and controllability of the person in need. Are they responsible, was it their fault etc. If the person isn’t responsible or in control of what happened then you will be sympathetic and pro-social. If they are responsible and in control then you will feel angry and anti-social. This is perceived responsibility.

Question 17

Describe the decision model of bystander intervention

Answer 17

It believes that there’s 5 barriers to bystander intervention; does the bystander notice something is wrong, is it an emergency, are they responsible, does the bystander know the appropriate response and should they implement their decision to help.

Question 18

Discuss the actual story of kitty genovese

Answer 18

Not all of the 38 eye-witnesses were actual witnesses, kitty was still alive when the police arrived, a bystander intervened, police were called immediately.

Question 19

Describe the group process approach when exploring altruism

Answer 19

Context is very important. You need to consider the relationship between the bystander and the victim or between other bystanders. You’re more likely to help people from your own social group. Sometimes helping can be a function of social identity. E.g. helping someone who supports the same football club. When with friends, you’re more likely to help others.