Relationships - explain cross-cultural differences in prosocial behaviour

Question 1

pro-social behaviour

Answer 1

• any behaviour intended to benefit others

e. g. giving donations, rescuing someone in danger

Question 2

sociocultural factors affecting prosocial behaviour

Answer 2

• economic development
• levels of simpatia
• cultural norms
• cultural dimensions (individualism vs collectivism)

Question 3

economic development

Answer 3

Levine et al. (2001):
- researchers visited 23 cities from different countries
- recorded how often someone helped in the following conditions: a person pretending to be blind waiting to cross the road; a person walking along the street in a leg brace and dropping magazines; a person dropping a pen while walking along the street
- Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and San Jose (Costa Rica) were the cities considered to be most helpful in the three situations
- they are both cities with low levels of economic development
- Sofia (Bulgaria), Amsterdam (Holland), and Singapore
(Singapore) were considered least helpful
- Amsterdam and Singapore are cities with high levels of economic development
- concluded that countries with low economic development tend to have stronger values about the importance of ethical behaviour

Question 4

levels of simpatia

Answer 4

simpatia: concern for well-being of others

Levine et al. (2001):

• noted that Brazil and Costa Rica were both countries that place importance on simpatia
• also noted that majority of South American countries were Catholic – belief in a religion may influence simpatia

Question 5

cultural dimensions

Answer 5

Whiting and Whiting (1975):

• observed children 3-11 years old in Kenya, Philippines, Mexico, Japan, India, and USA
• extent of prosocial behaviours: Kenya > Philippines and Mexico > Japan, India > USA
• important to note that Kenya was primarily rural and very traditionalist at the time, while USA had the most complex modern society
• also important to note that children in more prosocial cultures had more responsibilities (e.g. caring for siblings, household chores…)
• results indicate that degree of modernization influences extent of prosocial behaviour observed

Question 6

cultural norms

Answer 6

Miller et al. (1990):

• interviewed North Americans and Hindu Indians on a series of hypothetical situations on a range of danger levels (to self) and extent of closeness of the person involved in the hypothetical situation (parent, friend, etc)
• Hindu Indians saw helping in all situations as a social obligation (moral duty)
• North American participants saw helping as a choice, and noted that their liking of the person affected the extent of moral responsibility they felt to help