Social Topic 9 Flashcards
Bystander Effect
The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present.
Diffusion of Responsibility
When individuals in a group assume someone else will take responsibility, reducing their own likelihood of acting.
Audience Inhibition
Fear of embarrassment or judgement prevents people from intervening in an emergency.
Social Influence in Emergencies
People look to others to determine how to behave. If no one acts, individuals assume intervention is unnecessary.
Latané & Darley’s (1968, 1970) Smoke Study
Findings:
- 75% of individuals reported smoke when alone.
- Only 10% reported it when passive confederates were present.
- Demonstrates diffusion of responsibility and social influence.
Limitations of the Bystander Effect
- Bystander effect is strongest when bystanders are anonymous strangers.
- More likely to help if the victim is an acquaintance, friend, or child.
- Social identity can override bystander apathy if bystanders see themselves as part of the same group.
Empathy and Prosocial Behaviour
The ability to share and understand another person’s feelings, leading to increased helping behaviour.
Toi & Batson (1982) Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis
Findings:
- People in a high-empathy condition helped even when avoiding help was easy.
- Demonstrates that empathy can lead to genuine altruistic motivation.
Prosocial Value Orientation
A tendency to prioritise collective welfare over personal gain.
Types:
- Cooperators: Prioritise group benefit.
- Individualists: Focus on their own gain.
- Competitors: Aim to outperform others.
Social Learning Theory and Prosocial Behaviour
People learn to be helpful through observation and reinforcement.
Social Learning Theory and Prosocial Behaviour Methods
- Modelling: Imitating prosocial role models.
- Rewarding prosocial acts.
- Parental influence: Teaching and demonstrating prosocial behaviour.
Factors that Promote Prosocial Behaviour
- Empathy – Feeling for others increases helping.
- Trust & Communication – Encourages cooperation.
- Social Norms – Expectations of helping behaviour.
- Moral Emotions – Guilt and shame encourage prosocial acts.
- Identification with Others – Seeing oneself as part of a group fosters helping.
Factors that Hinder Prosocial Behaviour
- Diffusion of Responsibility – Expecting others to act.
- Fear of Personal Risk – Danger discourages help.
- Audience Inhibition – Fear of embarrassment.
- Ambiguity of Situation – Unclear emergencies reduce intervention.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis – Weighing effort vs. reward.
Batson’s (1994) Four Motives for Helping
- Egoism – Helping to benefit oneself.
- Altruism – Helping purely for others.
- Collectivism – Helping to support the group.
- Principalism – Helping based on moral principles.
Social Dilemmas
Situations where individual interests conflict with group welfare.
Examples of Social Dillemmas
- Commons Dilemma – Overuse of shared resources.
- Public Goods Dilemma – Individuals benefit from a resource but may not contribute.
- Prisoner’s Dilemma – Self-interest vs. mutual cooperation.
Tragedy of the Commons
When individuals overuse a shared resource, leading to depletion.
Public Goods Dilemma
When a resource is available to all, but people benefit without contributing
Prisoner’s Dilemma
A game theory scenario where two parties must choose between cooperation or self-interest.
Factors That Increase Cooperation in Social Dilemmas
- Communication – Encourages trust.
- Framing the Situation – Promoting cooperation over competition.
- Reciprocity & Fairness – Rewarding cooperation.
- Social Value Orientation – Pro-social individuals are more cooperative.
- Repeated Interactions – Future interactions increase cooperation.
Deutsch & Krauss (1962) Study on Conflict & Cooperation
Findings:
- Giving one company a threat (gate) led to retaliation.
- Both companies earned less when threats were involved.
- Communication helped only when not used for threats.
Heroic Imagination Project
A movement encouraging individuals to act heroically rather than passively.
- Aim: To counteract the bystander effect and promote intervention.
Altruism
- Definition: Helping others without expecting personal gain.
- Debate: Some argue pure altruism is a myth as all helping involves some personal benefit.
