LG 11&12: Helping behavior and Attraction

Question 1

Name and shortly explain theories on why we help other people.

Answer 1

Social exchange theory
- The theory that human interactions are most accurately described as social transactions between people, where people exchange rewards and cost.
- reward can be both external and internal.
o External: praise from others
o Internal: to avoid guilt

Helping norms
* Reciprocity norms: Helping those who have helped you
* Social-responsibility norm: Help those in need.

Evolutionary perspective
* More likely to help people who are “similar” to us (survival of the ingroup, Kin protection)

Altruism (as a concept versus a norm)
* A motive to increase another’s welfare without conscious regard for ones self-interest.

Question 2

When do we help?

Answer 2

We help when/ because of:

Attributions and emotions
* Attributions are explanations of people’s behavior.

Bystanders
* The likelyhood of one person helping is decreased if there are (passive) bystanders.
* NB! Moderator: when a serious incident occures.
*Reasons: Behavior of others as information (increased uncertanty), and Diffusion of responsibility

Priming: just having seen someone else helping

When under no time pressure: people with time pressure tends to not help.

Good mood - relieved – confused: people in these moods tend to be more helpful.

Victime-helper similarity
* We tend to help people in the ingroup more than in the outgroup. So if the victim and the helper have similar interest or looks like each other there is a bigger chance of helping.

Question 3

What is the bystander effect?

Answer 3

The bystandard effect is the finding that the presence of several bystanders makes it less likely that people will provide help. This tendency is often explained by disseminated responsibility and social comparison.

With an increase in the number of “bystanders” the likelihood of helping decreases.

Question 4

How can you increase helping behavior across group boundaries?

Answer 4

We can increase helping to either undo restraint on helping, or by socialize altruism.

Undo the restraint on helping:
- Reduce ambiguity and increase responsibility
- Enable guilt and concern for self-image. Ex. Naming a person out when in need of help.

Socialize altruism:
o Teach moral inclusion
o Model altruism
o Learn by doing
o Attribute helping behavior to altruism
o Learn about altruism

Question 5

Which factors have been shown to lead to friendship?

Answer 5

These factors have been shown to lead to friendship:

Proximity (availability)
- Closer leads to more opportunities for interaction.
- The mere exposure effect.

Physical attractiveness
* People tend to form friendship/ partners with people they find physical attractive.
* Stereotypes and social norms may blur the picture.

Similarity
* Matching phenomenon: The tendency for men and woman to choose as partners those who are a good match in attractiveness and other traits.
* We have our values, attitudes and hobbies for a reason; Positive response when we encounter them in others.

Feeling liked
* We have a general tendency to like people who like us: Positive effect of compliments
* But compliments are a kind of “persuasion”
* If the compliment is perceived as coming from someone with an agenda. ex.: Makes you buy something, Sexual interests, Do a favor, Not effective and no reciprocal liking.

Question 6

Name and explain the three basic components of love according to Sternberg (1988).

Answer 6

Stenberg’s three components of love:
1. Affective component: Intimacy and liking

2. Motivational component: Passion
3. Cognitive component: Decision, commitment (empty love)