Prosocial and helping behaviour Flashcards
Altruism
Helping that benefits others but requires self-sacrifice on the part of the helper
Prosocial behaviour
Helping that benefits others, regardless of motives
Prosocial behaviour doesn’t equal Altruism
Many prosocial acts aren’t altruistic due to the factor of impressing others
Decision-making perspective (Darley and Latane)
A number of decisions need to be made that influence helping behaviour in a potential emergency
Decision making perspective stages
Notice the situation
Is it an emergency
Taking responsibility
Weighing costs and benefits
How should I help
Notice the situation
More participants helped when someone cries out for help
Is it an emergency
Many participants will not take action if the event isn’t percieved as an emergency
Taking responsibility
Participants more likely to help when a commitment is made to a stranger (looking after bags)
Weighing costs and benefits
Participants more likely to help if it’ll make them look good socially
How should I help
Participants more likely to help when they feel confident (Nurses helping in emergency medical situations)
Learning perspective
We learn to help through reinforcement, modelling and observational learning
Reinforcement (Mills and Grusec, 1989)
Children asked to share toys and those rewarded with dispositional (quality of character) praise were better helpers compared to general praise
Modelling (Bryan and Test, 1967)
More likely to help a driver with flat tire if you have previously seen someone helping another driver
Observation
Participants more likely to help after viewing another person thank someone
Social norms perspective
We have internalised social rules about helping, we help because society dictates we help
Evolutionary perspective
More likely to help those genetically close to ourselves
Exchange perspective
Look to maximise rewards and minimise effort in helping for our own benefit
Benefits of helping
Prosocial actions result in increased well-being for both the help giver and recipient
Empathy-Altruism model
Helping reflects self serving and selfless goals
Everyday empathy (Depow, 2021)
Opportunities to express empathy were very common, if participants take advantage of this then they report greater happiness and wellbeing
Presence of others
A large number of people means its less likely for someone else to offer help
Bystander effect
Being with other people when help is needed will make us less likely to help - other people will help them
Diffusion of responsibility
A reduction of the sense of urgency to help someone involved in an emergency based on the assumption that others who are present will help - these people don’t have to be real
Response around friends
More likely to help when we’re with friends rather than strangers
Criticisms of staged emergencies
Not representative of real emergencies that involve real danger
What if you feel accountable?
- Participants with name in different colour increased helping in large group
- If a security camera is present then they’re more likely to help
Helping on a nice day (Cunningham)
More likely to help when the weather is nice
Superhero vs helicopter helping
If you’re doing VR as superman, will pick up more pens and faster than helicopter pilot
