Week 10 Helping & Prosocial Behaviours

Question 1

What is helping in prosocial behaviour?

Answer 1

Its defined as actions as widely recognised by most people as being beneficial to others

Question 2

Are people more or less likely to return a wallet in the wallet helping studies?

Answer 2

More likely -

Question 3

What is the cost-reward model in the theory of helping? (Piliavin, 1981)

Answer 3

An economic model with an egotistical and rational approach:

Helping is motivated by perceived rewards in the helping behaviour, (ie. enhancing mood, social approval)

as as well as decreasing costs (will I feel guilty/shame from inaction from not helping)

Question 4

What is the empathy-altruism model (Boston) in the theory of helping?

Answer 4

Proposed that empathy for others, and the desire to reduce in distress in, can result in altruistic motivation from helping
Goal of prosocial behaviour is other-focused and not self-focused

Question 5

How does empathy influence one’s desire to help according to the empathy-altruism model?

Answer 5

1. If empathy levels are high, the cost of helping should not impact on others decision to help
2. If empathy is low, the decision to help with by more motivated to costs to oneself (egoistical)

Batson’s experiment showed that higher level of helping was found in the high empathy condition

Question 6

What is the bystander effect? (Latane and Darley)

Answer 6

When the number of people present increases, the rate of helping decreases

Question 7

What are the 5 steps in the Bystander intervention decision tree (Latane and Darley)

Answer 7

1. Notice the event
2. Interpret as an emergency
3. Assume responsibility
4. Know the appropriate form of assistance
5. Implement a decision

Question 8

What is the urban overload hypothesis and how does it affect bystander effect?

Answer 8

Busy areas less likely to notice people needing help due to environmental overstimulation/distraction ie. New York, Tokyo.

Question 9

What is Group selection / multilevel selection theory in the theory of helping?

Answer 9

Behaviours that benefit the broader group may be selected for over behaviours that only benefit the individual

Examples: animal kingdom of warning others for prey, humans helping others to get out of twin towers in 9/11

Question 10

What 2 things can group selection also explain?

Answer 10

1. Self-sacrificing behaviours for the benefit of the group
2. Traits that may reduce reproduction, ie. homosexuality to take care of others and adopt children

Question 11

What does Social categorisation / social identity theory imply about helping?

Answer 11

Since we tend to form our social identity through our psychological group membership that are meaningful to us, this explains why we don’t always help everyone because there’s no shared identity to the person in need.

Question 12

Do we show out-group discrimination to others when helping?

Answer 12

Not really, while significantly higher levels of helping in the in-group condition, but no difference in helping between outgroup and control condition
The perceived need of confederate in pain may override out-group discrimination

Question 13

What are the 2 reasons why people may be motivated to engage in out-group helping?

Answer 13

1. A helping towards members of the outgroup to not appear discriminatory, ie. white people helping black people more often to not appear racist
2. Or as a strategic communication tool used to portray their in-group in a positive light, especially if you are concerned about your impression of your group stereotype