Prosocial and helping behaviour

Question 1

Altruism

Answer 1

Helping that benefits others but requires self-sacrifice on the part of the helper

Question 2

Prosocial behaviour

Answer 2

Helping that benefits others, regardless of motives

Question 3

Prosocial behaviour doesn’t equal Altruism

Answer 3

Many prosocial acts aren’t altruistic due to the factor of impressing others

Question 4

Decision-making perspective (Darley and Latane)

Answer 4

A number of decisions need to be made that influence helping behaviour in a potential emergency

Question 5

Decision making perspective stages

Answer 5

Notice the situation
Is it an emergency
Taking responsibility
Weighing costs and benefits
How should I help

Question 6

Notice the situation

Answer 6

More participants helped when someone cries out for help

Question 7

Is it an emergency

Answer 7

Many participants will not take action if the event isn’t percieved as an emergency

Question 8

Taking responsibility

Answer 8

Participants more likely to help when a commitment is made to a stranger (looking after bags)

Question 9

Weighing costs and benefits

Answer 9

Participants more likely to help if it’ll make them look good socially

Question 10

How should I help

Answer 10

Participants more likely to help when they feel confident (Nurses helping in emergency medical situations)

Question 11

Learning perspective

Answer 11

We learn to help through reinforcement, modelling and observational learning

Question 12

Reinforcement (Mills and Grusec, 1989)

Answer 12

Children asked to share toys and those rewarded with dispositional (quality of character) praise were better helpers compared to general praise

Question 13

Modelling (Bryan and Test, 1967)

Answer 13

More likely to help a driver with flat tire if you have previously seen someone helping another driver

Question 14

Observation

Answer 14

Participants more likely to help after viewing another person thank someone

Question 15

Social norms perspective

Answer 15

We have internalised social rules about helping, we help because society dictates we help

Question 16

Evolutionary perspective

Answer 16

More likely to help those genetically close to ourselves

Question 17

Exchange perspective

Answer 17

Look to maximise rewards and minimise effort in helping for our own benefit

Question 18

Benefits of helping

Answer 18

Prosocial actions result in increased well-being for both the help giver and recipient

Question 19

Empathy-Altruism model

Answer 19

Helping reflects self serving and selfless goals

Question 20

Everyday empathy (Depow, 2021)

Answer 20

Opportunities to express empathy were very common, if participants take advantage of this then they report greater happiness and wellbeing

Question 21

Presence of others

Answer 21

A large number of people means its less likely for someone else to offer help

Question 22

Bystander effect

Answer 22

Being with other people when help is needed will make us less likely to help - other people will help them

Question 23

Diffusion of responsibility

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Response around friends

Answer 24

More likely to help when we’re with friends rather than strangers

Question 25

Criticisms of staged emergencies

Answer 25

Not representative of real emergencies that involve real danger

Question 26

What if you feel accountable?

Answer 26

• Participants with name in different colour increased helping in large group
• If a security camera is present then they’re more likely to help

Question 27

Helping on a nice day (Cunningham)

Answer 27

More likely to help when the weather is nice

Question 28

Superhero vs helicopter helping

Answer 28

If you’re doing VR as superman, will pick up more pens and faster than helicopter pilot