Prosociality Flashcards
Define prosociality.
Behaviour that is positive and intended to help or benefit another being
What is the main difference between altruism and prosociality?
Altruism doesn’t benefit the actor, prosociality can
Does prosocial behaviour need to be voluntary?
No
Does prosocial behaviour need to benefit others?
Yes (or at least be intended to)
Does prosocial behaviour need to have a personal cost to the actor?
No
Does prosocial behaviour need to involve empathy?
No, but highly correlated
Is prosocial behaviour exclusive to humans?
No (e.g. rats)
Is prosocial behaviour motivated by others’ needs?
Yes, generally, but not necessarily (can be our perception of others’ needs)
Do positive or negative emotions tend to generate prosocial behaviour?
Positive
Does empathy increase prosocial behaviour?
Yes, usually but not always. Too much empathy can create distress and avoidance.
What are the three types of prosocial behaviour according to Wu and Hong?
- Comforting in response to emotional need
- Targeted helping in response to goal-directed need
- Sharing in response to material need
What’s an example of rats being altruistic?
Rats will release a cage-mate from a restraint.
What type of behaviour does negative affect trigger?
Survival-motivated specific responses to an immediate need
What type of behaviour does positive affect trigger?
Broad, prosocial behaviour (attention drawn away from self and towards others)
What is the relationship between positive affect and prosocial behaviour?
Reciprocal, both increase each other
How does prosocial behaviour relate to extreme stress?
Buffers against it
What are two types of prosociality that aren’t based on empathy?
Strategic prosociality and selective/ norm-based prosociality