Media influences on prosocial behaviour (PSB)

Question 1

Pro-social behaviour

Answer 1

An act that benefits others but may appear to have no direct benefit for the person performing it.

Question 2

Positive interaction

Answer 2

Friendly, non-aggressive interactions, expressions of affection, and peaceful conflict resolution

Question 3

Altruism

Answer 3

Sharing, donating, offering help and comfort

Question 4

Self-control

Answer 4

Resistance to temptation, obedience to rules, independently and persistence at a task.

Question 5

Content analysis

Answer 5

A systematic technique for analysing documents. The observer must code the categories. Inter rater reliability will be checked by having more than coder, carrying out independently then comparing.

Question 6

Description of SLT explanation of media influences on PSB

Answer 6

• The key element of social learning theory for influencing PSB is being rewarded for their positive behaviour.
• Bandura’s theory suggests that children learn by observing behaviour, they then imitating that behaviour if the expectation of a reward is greater than the expectation of a punishment.
• similar to antisocial behaviour, expect prosocial behaviour is likely to be in accordance with established social norms- assuming these norms have been internalised, by the viewer and so is associated with expectation of social reinforcement and so the child is motivated to repeat theses actions.
• Using colourful characters to them standout, also many of the characters are quite child like and so the viewer can relate to the role model (identifies with them)
• Being actively involved with the programme may make it more memorable, also having a song to remember (Dora the explorer)
• Higher motivation if there is vicarious reinforcement, PSB is in accordance with social norms and is likely to be rewarded.

Question 7

Evaluation of the SLT explanation of media influences on PSB

Answer 7

• Sprafkin et al supports the SLT explanation of media influence on PSB as those children who watched a boy saving the puppy chose to help the puppy more quickly. This is because when they watched clip A they saw altruistic behaviour and they recognise this and copy the actions. What sets group A apart from group B is that it only shows positive behaviour without a reward, so there is no social reinforcement.
• Ostrov et al assessed children on pro-social behaviour, and found that children were more likely to imitate PSB in same sex than opposite sex role models. This supports SLT because its shows that there is higher motivation if there is vicarious reinforcement as PSB is in accordance when they can relate to the role model.
• The one way in which the studies differ methodologically is that in Sprafkin they studied the children directly, whereas in Ostrov they asked the parents. (Could suffer from social desirability bias, hard to generalise)

Question 8

Impact value

Answer 8

The impact value of a behaviour is how likely the viewer is to remember the act. For instance antisocial behaviour is likely to have a higher impact value. Impact value is also effected by other factors like distraction e.g. adverts

Question 9

Description of sensitisation explanation of media of influences on PSB

Answer 9

• Wilson suggests that the development of empathy is a fundamental part of children’s social development.
• Highly empathetic children are known to engage in more frequent pro-social acts.
• Children empathise particularly with characters when they are of the same sex and if the story is realistic.
• Sensitisation provides an alternative explanation, explain that rather than imitating the helping behaviour, the children may have been sensitised to the suffering of the puppies by watching it and then felt more empathy when presented with real suffering puppies.

Question 10

Evaluation of sensitisation explanation of media of influences on PSB

Answer 10

• The main limitation of sensitisation is that it lack direct evidence. There is a lack of studies demonstrating that exposure to PSB leads to high levels of empathy
• There is some evidence to suggest this is adults. Shelton & Rogers found that showing industrial use of animal suffering enhanced empathy. However these sorts of studies are far removed from the situation psychologists are concerned with- the effects of media on social behaviour.
• SLT is a more convincing explanation of the medias influence on PSB

Question 11

SLT vs. Sensitisation

Answer 11

• SLT focuses on behavioural aspects which is not dependent on age, whereas sensitisation focuses on developmental psychology and how empathy develops with age
• Mares shows that PS messages have more of an effect on young children than adolescents.
• Midlarsky & Hannah suggest that young children imitate PSB if they think this will bring rewards. The fact that children are more effected by PS media suggest that SLT is a more powerful explanation since it is SLT which emphasises selfish motivation.