Prosocial behaviour and aggression Flashcards
What is the difference between Altruism and egoism
Altruism: where prosocial behaviour benefits others not the self
Egoism: is where the behaviour benefits both the self and others.
Explain the evolutionary theory on why people help
- 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.
b > c/r
b= benefits to recipients
c= cost to altruist
r= relation between recepient and altruist (probability they share the same gene)
Levy and Lo 2022 experiments
1) What is the maximal amount of money that you’re willing to pay for recipient to receive 50 USD from us
- as genetic related ness increased, so did the max amount (twin, sibling, cousin, stranager)
2) Imagine the recipient is in a life threatening situation. If you don’t take action they will 100% die. If you intervene they will survive but there is a possibility you will lose your own life. What is the highest possibility.
- increased with genetic relatedness.
The bystander- calculus model (Piliavin et al 1981)
There are 3 stages
1- Psychological arousal.
2- Labelling of the arousal
3- Evaluation of the consequences (Empathy- continue to be distressed, Personal costs- public shame)
What influences whether or not one should help (Piliavin et al 1981)
- How clear what is happening is.
- How serious it is for the victim
- Physical proximity
- Similarity between bystander and victim
- Relatedness of victim to bystander.
- PSB is motivated by reducing personal distress
Baston et al 1981 Empathetic concern
True altruism occurs when the costs of not helping are low. (it is easier to not help)
Stocks et al 2009 on empathy and altruism
Participants listen to lecture at uni.
Either able to save or delete traumatic memories.
AND
told to remain objective or imagine how the person feels.
Those with low empathy and deleting memories had low PSB
High empathy and saving memories had high PSB
High empathy and deleting memories had altruistic PSB
The bystander effect (Latane and Darley 1970)
Asked to discuss problems with uni life and left in a room to do a questionnaire. Smoke starts filling room.
1- Alone (75% reported)
2- Groups of 3 (38% reported)
3- 2 confederated told not to react (10% reported)
Bystander effect increases as there are more bystanders and others influence our behaviour
Darley and Latanes 1968 Bystander effect study
Participants in separate cubicles communicating via intercom.
1- Ppt + 1 other= 85%
2- Ppt + 3 others = 62%
3- Ppt + 5 others= 31%
One participant (recorded voice) tells others he has epilepsy and later makes choking and gasping noises indicating an epileptic fit.
How individual differences impact Pro social behaviour`
Attachment style: those with secure more likely to be altruistic
Big city vs rural area: less likely in city
Mood: happy = less focused on self
Personality: higher agreeableness and neuroticism means higher PSB
Warren and Walker 1991
Send out letters appealing for donations
3IVs
1- Empathy: imagine self in position OR picture person
2- Need extent: focus on one group OR widespread issue
3- Need persistence: immediate short term need OR ongoing continuous need
DV: how much money and support given
- No effect of empathy or need extent.
In low persistence donations and support were higher as they thought they were making an immediate difference
Evolutionary explanation for Aggression AND evaluate
An instinct triggered by releasers in the environment.
To scare predators off and establish hierarchy.
+ Makes sense scientifically and is mirrored in non-human animals
- Does this justify murder, SA or violence to a child?
The Biosocial approach implies learning and context influences extent of behaviours.
Frustration- aggression hypothesis
All aggression is preceded by frustration.
- We all have goals we strive to achieve. Barriers to the goals can cause frustration which can be released through catharasis.
- However aggression cannot always be used against the obstruction and so we use scapegoats.
- Explain societal aggression towards persecuted groups such as Jewish people.
- There is no measurement of psychic energy being released or frustration making it hard to define
Excitation- transfer model
Aggression is part of behaviour which is learnt
It occurs in a high state of arousal and they understand this arousal needs to followed by an aggressive response. As this is what they have learnt
