Prosocial Behavior Flashcards
What is prosocial behavior?
Any act designed to help others
What is altruism?
Unselfish behavior that benefits others without regard to consequences for oneself (intended to benefit others as primary goal)
What is the first hurdle to cross when deciding to help someone, as described by the Decision Model of Helping Behavior?
Notice the event: no help unless people notice that someone is in need
What is the second hurdle to cross when deciding to help someone, as described by the Decision Model of Helping Behavior?
Interpret event as emergency: ambiguity reduces the likelihood of helping
What is pluralistic ignorance?
The collective belief in a false norm created by the ambiguous behaviors of others
What does the married vs. strangers study tell us about interpreting an event as an emergency?
Physical fight between a man and a woman, set up as either a married couple or strangers → 65% intervened when they were strangers, 19% intervened when they were married (only interpreted as an emergency when they were strangers → problem more ambiguous when they’re married)
What is the third hurdle to cross when deciding to help someone, as described by the Decision Model of Helping Behavior?
Assume responsibility: even if an emergency is obvious, people may not help if others are present
What is the bystander effect?
The presence of others reduces one’s sense of responsibility for helping (diffusion of responsibility → assumed that someone else will take responsibility)
What does the Darley and Latane seizure study tell us about the diffusion of responsibility?
Talking to either one, two, or five other people and one person appears to have a seizure → most people helped when it was only them and one other person, only 31% sought help when there were five other people
What is the fourth hurdle to cross when deciding to help someone, as described by the Decision Model of Helping Behavior?
Must know how to give help: people cannot help if they don’t know how (i.e. knowing CPR → nurses are more likely to help)
What is the fifth hurdle to cross when deciding to help someone, as described by the Decision Model of Helping Behavior?
Must decide to help: weigh rewards and costs (i.e. time, effort, danger, risk for embarrassment, could make things worse)
What are social motives for helping?
Esteem and respect, status, praise
What is the reciprocity motive for helping?
We help those who help us
What are evolutionary motives for helping?
Helping can be adaptive
What is kin selection?
We’re more likely to help those that share our genes
