Pro-social behaviour

Question 1

How is altruism defined in terms of social psychologist

Answer 1

Hogg and Vaughan, 2014 : helping behaviour that can be sometimes costly, performed without expectation of personal gain.

Question 2

What is pro-social behaviour

Answer 2

whole range of behaviour valued by society. In this there is helping behaviour, which is intentionally helping another person or group.

Question 3

what are some person based factors that may effect altruism

Answer 3

Mood, biological and empathy/perspective taking

Question 4

How does good mood effect altruism

Answer 4

Carlson et al (1988) : meta- analysis, positive mood increases helping.
Islen and stalker (1982) teachers successful on a task (good mood) more likely to help with a fundraiser.

Question 5

How does bad mood effect altruism?

Answer 5

Carlson and Miller (1987): different negative emotions = different effects. Anger, guilt

Question 6

How does anger effect altruism?

Answer 6

Leads to aggression, but can be associated with righting an injustice.

Question 7

How does guilt effect altruism

Answer 7

Regan et al (1972) : guilt induction - broken expensive camera, subsequent chance to help someone.
50% likely to help compared to 15% in control group.
negative state relief hypothesis.

Question 8

How does empathy influence altruism?

Answer 8

De Wall (2008) : empathy is critical altruism.
Batson (1991) : egoistic people can escape helping, but altruistic people would help due to guilt

Question 9

What study demonstrates empathy role in altruism

Answer 9

Batson et al (1981) : low empathy (not similar) and easy escape less likely to take elaine’s place, all other conditions like to help

Question 10

What is the role of perspective taking in being empathetic

Answer 10

Oswald (1996) : empathetic concern requires perspective taking
Batson et al (1997) : distinction between how another person feels in a situation and imaging how we would feel.

Question 11

Other than person based factors what other factors can influence pro-social behaviour such as altruism

Answer 11

Situational based : Latane and darleys (1968) cognitive model.

Question 12

Explain Latane and Darley’s cognitive model and their study.

Answer 12

Bystander effect : people look to others for what to do, help is less likely if everyone is doing the same - based on uncertainty- normative social influence.
1970 : less likely to raise alarm (10% with two confederates) when room filled with smoke vs alone (75% raise alarm)

Question 13

What are latane and darleys (1970) phases to bystander intervention

Answer 13

notice the situation
interpret situation as emergency
feel responsible
decide whether to help

Question 14

What makes bystander apathetic

Answer 14

• diffusion of responsibility
• audience inhibition (don’t want to be wrong)
• social influence (normative)

Question 15

Explain the method of Latane and Darleys (1976) three- in- one experiment.

Answer 15

5 conditions : alone, diffusion ( Ps know there is someone else but thats it), diffusion and social influence (Ps can see another Ps but knows they cant be seen), Diffusion and audience inhibition (Ps can not see Ps but they can see Ps), All three ( You can see each other).
You can see another study going on - there is an accident. What does Ps do/how long do they take to do it

Question 16

What are the results for Latane and Darleys (1976) three- in - one study.

Answer 16

Likelihood of helping dependent on study condition as follows (in descending order)
– Alone > diffusion > diffusion + influence (or inhibition) > diffusion + influence + inhibition

Question 17

What are the limitations of the bystander effect?

Answer 17

Latane and Rodin (1969) : Apathy is less likely if bystander know each other.
Gottlieb and carver (1980): among strangers, bystander effect is reduced if they believe they will interact with each other and account for their actions.