Prosocial Behaviour

Question 1

define prosocial behaviour

Answer 1

behaviour people do that benefits others

Question 2

what is helping behaviour?

Answer 2

intentional and benefits another

Question 3

define altruism

Answer 3

• act to benefit others rather than self
• performed without expectation of personal gain
• can be costly

Question 4

identify 4 explanations as to why people help

Answer 4

1/ evolutionary perspective

2/ learning to be helpful

3/ social norms

4/ empathy-altruism hypothesis

Question 5

explain the evolutionary perspective that explain why people help

(kin selection)

Answer 5

kin selection
- prosocial behaviour has evolutionary benefit

• inclusive fitness to those who help relatives
• humans more inclined to help relatives more than unrelated individuals

Question 6

explain the evolutionary perspective that explain why people help

(Reciprocal Altruism)

Answer 6

• helping others increases likelihood they help us
• reciprocity - benefits that may add to evolutionary success
• may increase status and reputation in community

Question 7

how is helpful behaviour learnt?

Answer 7

• through observational learning
• through modelling
• using reinforcement (acts that are rewarded = more likely to be repeated)

Question 8

how does social norms explain prosocial behaviour

Answer 8

• norms for helping:
• reciprocity principle: we should help those that help us
• social responsibility = we should help those that are dependent/in need

Question 9

explain the empathy - altruism hypothesis

Answer 9

role of empathy in helping behaviour

• perception that someone needs help
• imagining how that person feels
• elicits empathetic concern
• altruistic motives
• ultimate goal = increasing other’s happiness/welfare

Question 10

why else may we help someone (empathy - altruism hypothesis)?

Answer 10

• imagining how other feels
• may cause personal distress
• egoistic motivation to reduce personal stress

Question 11

what is the bystander effect?

Answer 11

where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim in presence of other people compared to when alone

Question 12

outline the case of Kitty Genovese

Answer 12

• attacked and killed on way home
• no neighbours helped
• 1 anonymous phone call to police 30 minutes after attack
• 39 people admitted to hearing screaming

Question 13

define bystander intervention

Answer 13

• where individual breaks out of role of bystander & helps another

Question 14

explain the cognitive model of bystander intervention

Answer 14

• notice incident
• interpret incidence
• accept personal responsibility for helping
• decide what can be done

Question 15

what processes contribute to bystander apathy?

Answer 15

• diffusion of responsibility
• audience inhibition
• social influence

Question 16

identify some personal factors that can influence prosocial behaviour

Answer 16

• competence (feeling competent to deal with emergency)
• mood
  good mood = more likely to help
  guilty mood = more likely to help