Week 11 Flashcards
What is Prosocial Behaviour?
Behaviour that benefits another person
What is Altruism?
Desire to help another, to improve their welfare, regardless of whether we derive any benefit. Helping another without conscious regard for one’s self-interest
Why do we help?
Evolutionary Theory
Survival of the Fittest: The “Selfish Gene”
In a way, altruism does not make sense from evolutionary standpoint: If we are dead we cannot pass on our genes
Should see survival of “selfish gene” because those who helped would surely die out
Helping has survival advantages:
Kin Selection: Help your kin = Help your genes
Experiment that supports the idea of helping the kin.
There are three people who want you to come over and help with a household chore they are unable to complete: A cousin A sister An acquaintance You have time to help only one
Results: more likely to help the sister
Experiment that supports the idea of helping the kin in a more severe situation.
There are three people asleep in different rooms of a burning house:
A cousin
A grandfather
An acquaintance
You have time to rescue only one. Which do you save?
Degrees of relatedness is amplified when the situation is severe
Why do we help strangers?
Reciprocity: Help strangers = Help your survival chances
What is Reciprocal altruism?
Reciprocal helping: we expect to have favours returned, increases our overall fitness
What 2 forms does Reciprocal altruism have?
Direct reciprocity: Helping someone who may help you later
Indirect reciprocity: Help someone; someone else helps you later
Why people engage in PSB(pro social behaviour) : Helping and Social Norms
Norm of reciprocity Norm of equity Norms of social responsibility Concerns about justice or fairness Cultural norms
What is norm of equity?
Underbenefited - Getting less than you deserve - Become angry and resentful Over Benefited - Getting more than you deserve - Experience guilt
Fairness requires balancing
Unique to humans
What is Norms of Social Responsibility?
Social influence
Sometimes helping due to peer pressure, social norms, social influence
“reluctant altruism”
What does Concerns about Justice and Fairness
Entail?
Agreeableness
Humility
Moral reasoning
Empathy
What are some Cultural Norms?
Rural vs. Urban Religion - Buddhism - typically Prosocial Collectivism vs. Individualism - Indvulisms tends to give more Socioeconomic status - Poor people tend to be more charitable than richer people - Poorer people value helping others
According to social exchange theory, does altruism exist?
No
What is Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis?
When we feel empathy for a person we will attempt to the help them regardless of what we have to gain
Help motivated by empathy lasts longer than when there is not empathy (help for some other reason, e.g., rewards)
What are 2 emotional components of empathy?
Personal distress → egoistic motive ( we want to help others so we don’t feel bad)
Empathic concern → altruistic motive (we want to help others so they don’t feel bad anymore)
What are motivations for helping?
Egoism Reciprocity Negative state relief theory(help to reduce your own distress) Altruism - Expects nothing in return for helping - Motivated by empathy
How to tell the difference between egoism and altruism?
If egoistic motive, helping should decline when escape from the situation is easy
If altruistic motive, help is given regardless of ease of escape
Telling the difference between egoism and altruistic study
Participant asked if she would trade places with distressed confederate
IV:
Empathy manipulation: previously told that confederate shared many similar attitudes and values, more empathy towards those are similar to us
Escape manipulation: whether or not participant had to continue watching confederate receive shocks if they did not trade places with her (study almost done or still a long way to go)
People with a lot of empathy for the person getting the shocks were eager to relieve them.
Low empathy people chose to get out the the situation completely
Beginning of Bystander Effect Research: Kitty Genovese, what happens?
New York City, 1964: Kitty Genovese was murdered by Winston Mosley over the course of half an hour. She was raped and stabbed repeatedly. After her assailant left, she staggered to the corner and screamed for help. Of the 38 people who heard from the nearby apartments, no one helped or called the police.
What is the Bystander Effect?
The greater the number of bystanders who witness an emergency, the less likely it is that any one of them will help
We are more likely to help when we are alone than with other
What are the 5 steps to deciding to help someone?
Notice the event Interpret as emergency Assume responsibility Know how to help Decide to help
Notice the event study
Good Samaritan study
Theological seminary students going to give talk about “Good Samaritan”
IV: Manipulation of time pressure
On the way, pass a “victim” slumped in doorway
DV: Do they stop to help?(Darley& Batson, 1973)
Only 10% stopped to help
Interpret as Emergency?
Study
No one else seems worried (pluralistic ignorance)
Smoke pouring into testing room
IV: Alone or in groups
DV: Reporting smoke
Alone, hesitated only a moment
In groups of 3, only 1 person in 8 groups reported smoke in first 4 minutes (Latane & Darley, 1968)
Assume Responsibility?
Study
There are others who can help (diffusion of responsibility)
Completing questionnaire when I hear crash and woman in next room scream “My ankle! I can’t get this thing off me!”
IV: Other present in the room
DV: Helping
What does know how to help and decide to help mean?
Know how to help - I don’t know CPR, I can’t swim, etc.
Decide to help - Fear for own safety, embarrassed by rejected help
How to get help in a crowd?
You are in a crowd, and you desperately need help
Reduce ambiguity and diffusion of responsibility
Make it clear that you need help
Single out individual
“You, in the red jacket –I need your help. Call 911
They Notice You - Understand help is Needed - Know they’re Responsible - Know how to Help
