Prosocial behaviour and aggression

Question 1

What is the difference between Altruism and egoism

Answer 1

Altruism: where prosocial behaviour benefits others not the self
Egoism: is where the behaviour benefits both the self and others.

Question 2

Explain the evolutionary theory on why people help

Answer 2

• Those who exhibited PSB were more reproductively successful.
• Mutualism: where helping in cooperation helps both parties.
• Kin-selection: helping in cooperation is more likely between those who are genetically similar.
• A gene wants to maximise the number of itself in the next generation. However an individual view would be that though altruism decreases individual fitness, it increases the fitness of all of those with genetic similarity.