WEEK 8 - Helping others Flashcards
What are Prosocial behaviors?
actions intended to benefit others
What are the explanations for helping behaviour
- biological
- learning
- attribution
- norms
- obligation to help
What is the biological explanation for helping others?
- helping as an evolutionary trait (protecting one’s kin.. and genes)
- sociobiological factors (e.g., how closely related + severity of need)
What is the ‘learning’ explanation for helping others?
- childhood - instructions: instructing children to be helpful (BUT ALSO providing a role model) and reinforcement (see figure)
- modelling: Bandura’s (e.g., 1973) social learning theory: can learn to be selfless as well as selfish as seen in the ‘Flat Tyre experiment’
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What is the Flat Tyre experiment (in relation to learning how to help others)
‘Flat tyre’ experiment (Bryan & Test, 1967): modelling of helpful behaviours –> saw lone woman next to car with flat tyre (side of road)
* control (as above) vs. experimental (previously seen scenario of man assisting woman to change tyre)
* hypothesis: viewing a model will increse altruism (concern for others)
* results: support hypothesis (model-exposed 50% more likely to help)
* conclusions: role of modelling in incidence of helping behaviour,
learning by vicarious experience
What is the ‘attribution’ explanation for helping?
- as a ‘helpful person’ increases helping behaviours
- just world hypothesis (people get what they deserve): can reduce helping behaviours
What is the ‘norms’ explanation for helping?
- reciprocity norm (do unto others)
- social responsibility norm (help people in need)
- concerns about justice/fairness: perceived need
- Miller’s (1977) 2 types of needs:
- need extent (better if limited)
- need persistence (better if short-term)
What is the ‘obligation to help’ explanation for helping?
- duty to assist – ‘Good Samaritan’ laws in some countries, professional obligations
What is empathy
understanding or vicariously experiencing another individual’s perspective and feeling sympathy and compassion for that individual
How does arousal affect a person’s motivation to help others?
motivation to help = state of arousal (e.g., witnessing suffering) + empathy
What is altruism
to improve another’s welfare
What is egoism
to improve one’s own welfare
empathy-altruism hypothesis
empathic concern for a person in need produces an altruistic motive for helping
What is bystander effect
refers to the tendency for people to be inactive in high-danger situations due to the presence of other bystanders. Thus, people tend to help more when alone than in a group
Latane and Darley’s cognitive model
- definition of emergency situation: rare, unforseen dangerous situation (for person or property) requiring instant action
- similar to Sherif: role of ambiguity (look to others for guidance)
- Latane and Darley’s (1970) decision process: series of decisions to enable helping