lesson 9 - prosocial behaviour Flashcards
what is prosocial behaviour?
*Acts positively valued by society (e.g., donating to charity).
*“Behaviour that has positive social consequences & contributes to the well-being of another person” (Hogg & Vaughan, 2014, p.502).
*Helping behaviour: this is intentional and benefits another.
*Altruism: act to benefit other people, rather than the self. These acts are performed without the expectation of personal gain, but can be costly.
what is altruism?
act to benefit other people, rather than the self. These acts are performed without the expectation of personal gain, but can be costly.
why do people help others?
- evolutionary perspective
- learning to be helpful
- social norms
- empathy-altruism hypothesis
the link between evolution and prosocial behaviour
Contemporary neo-Darwinian models of evolution:
Evolutionary success – survival of one’s genes in subsequent generations.
Existence of prosocial tendencies in humans because:
a) “Genetically based predispositions to act prosocially”.
b) The evolutionary success of people who displayed such predispositions”.
evolutionary perspective: kin selection
- Evolutionary benefit in terms of inclusive fitness to those who help relatives. (Successful transmission of genes from one source to the next generation). Help those who share the genetic makeup, increases the likelihood of them having offspring.
- Humans more inclined to help relatives than unrelated individuals (Barrett et al., 2002).
Burnstein et al. (1994) - who are you most likely to help
Tendency to help people who varied in kinship in two conditions: healthy vs. sick, everyday vs. life-or-death situations.
More willing to help closer kin than more distant kin.
More likely to help people who were healthy rather than sick in life-or-death situations; more likely to help people who were sick than healthy in everyday situations. Healthy participants are more likely to reproduce, thus helped in life or death situation to maximise fitness and pass on desirable genes.
evolutionary perspective: reciprocal altruism
helping others increases the likelihood that they will help us. Reciprocity - benefits that may add to evolutionary success, increases status and reputation in community.
learning to be helpful
*Observational learning / modelling (SLT).
*Using reinforcement
*Acts that are rewarded are more likely to be repeated, e.g., praised for helping, more likely to repeat the helping behaviour in future.
what are social norms
*Norms for helping: standards of socially approved behaviour.
includes the reciprocity principle and social responsibility
reciprocity principle
“we should help those who help us”
social responsibility
“we should help people who are dependent and in need, without regard to future exchanges”
empathy-altruism hypothesis
Perception that someone needs help –> perspective taking: imagining how that person feels –> empathic concern –> altruistic motive, ultimate goal of increasing other’s welfare.
Imagining how you would feel –> personal distress –> egoistic motivation to reduce personal stress.
Distinction between the motives (altruistic and egotistic) behind helping behaviour.
Egoism – ultimate goal of increasing own welfare state, feel better about self/relieve distress.
the bystander effect example
Example – the Kitty Genovese murder.
* Late one night Kitty Genovese on her way home; attacked & killed.
* In the half-hour of attack, not one of her neighbours helped.
* 1 anonymous phone call to police 30 minutes later.
* 38 people admitted to hearing the screaming.
what is the bystander effect
people are less likely to help in an emergency when they are with others, than when alone. (More likely to help in an emergency when alone).
bystander intervention
individual breaks out of the role of a bystander and helps another.
