Week 12 - Altruism Flashcards
What is altruism?
Desire to HELP one another, improve welfare, regardless if it provides us benefit
Helping without CONSCIOUS regard
True or false. All altruistic behaviour is pro social behaviour, but not all pro social behaviour is altruistic.
TRUE
What are some common prosocial behaviours?
Helping, giving, sharing cooperating
WHY DO WE HELP…
1) evolutionary theory
Survival of the FITTEST
Helping has survival advantages
Ex. Kin selection
Helping your kin = help your genes
Ex. Reciprocity
Helping strangers = help survival
What is reciprocal helping?
Can provide adaptive advantages (norms of reciprocity)
Can be found in many species
Requires rlPFC
WHY DO WE HELP…
2) social exchange theory
What are some benefits/costs?
“Minimax” strategy
UNCONCIOUS weighing of costs & rewards
Want to maximize the rewards
*** SUGGESTS THAT TRUE ALTRUISM DOES NOT EXSIST
Benefits:
- feel good
- avoid punishment
- social approval
- decrease stress
Costs:
-physical danger
- pain
-embarrassment
- time consuming
WHY DO WE HELP…
3) Empathy-altruism hypothesis
Daniel Batson
Empathy
Attempt to help regardless of what we gain
Help motivated by empathy lasts LONGER than when there is NO empathy
*** ALTRUISTIC OR NOT?
What is Batson, Ahmad and Stocks explanation of empathy joy?
What was their study?
Katies misfortune
IV:
1) empathy (high/low)
2) feedback (feedback/no feedback)
DV:
Whether they agreed to help Katie
** IN THE END, PEOPLE MOTIVATED BY REWARD
** IN THE END, SLIGHTLY LESS PEOPLE MOTIVATED BY EMPATHY = THAT IS TRUE ALTRUISM
What is the criticism of empathy?
“The fragile flower”
Empathy can be easily CRUSHED
Conforming to some socially valued norm/desirability
Why do we fail to help?
Bystander effect
Ex. Kitty genoveise
A person who witnesses another in need, is LESS likely to help when there are other bystanders
More likely to occur when need for help is MINOR
Less likely to occur among friends
Why do we fail to help?
Diffusion of responsibility
Pluralistic ignorance
Presence of others PREVENTS one from taking responsibility
Situation in which others rely on others to identify a NORM, but FALSELY interpret others beliefs and feelings
What are the steps to helping, or not?
1) notice event
2) interpret event
3) take responsibility
4) decide how to help
5) give help
(MANY THINGS OF PREVENTION OF HELPING CAN HAPPEN IN BETWEEN)
How is human nature viewed through a self -control lens?
First impulse DEFINES us
Self- control can REVEAL our basic nature, our first instincts
***ARE WE SELFISH?
Needed to restart in base impulses towards temptation
***ARE WE PROSOCIAL?
Needed to bind altruism to enable personal achievement
What is the “selfish” first argument?
What is the evidence?
Human state as it is, where it is… we do the selfish thing first
“SELFISH GENE”
We are born selfish, needed to be taught generosity and altruism
———————————————————————————————-
Right lateral PFC associated with self-control
If you could turn it off^^^ = should become more selfish
Ultimatum
What is the “pro social” first argument?
We are social creatures
More SOCIAL than other animals
Sacrifice for others with NO personal gain
——————————————————————
Which is the correct argument?
Probably BOTH
Personality x environment
Pro social AND selfish traits
How does self-control and selfish- prosocial work together?
Some need SELF-CONTROL to curb greed to help others
Some need SELF-CONTROL to stop sacrifical altruism and assert themselves to personal goals
***SOME MAY NEED BOTH