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Altruism and Aggression. Chapter 8. Class Exercise & Discussion. List three occasions when you helped another person. What were your motives for helping the person on each occasion?. HELPING and ALTRUISM. 1. Motivation to Help Others 2. Characteristics of Needy -> Helping
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Altruism and Aggression Chapter 8
Class Exercise & Discussion • List three occasions when you helped another person. • What were your motives for helping the person on each occasion?
HELPING and ALTRUISM 1. Motivation to Help Others 2. Characteristics of Needy -> Helping 3. Normative Factors 4. Personal and Situational Factors 5. Bystander Intervention in Emergencies 6. Seeking and Receiving Help
1. Motivation to Help Others • Prosocial behavior(Broad category) • Beneficial to others • Positive social consequences
1. Motivation to Help Others • 1. Helping • Behavior intended to benefit another • Does not address helper benefit • 2. Altruism • Voluntary help for others • No expectation of reward
What is Altruism? • From Latin word alter – meaning “other” • Altruism – means “living for others” • Key component – Selflessness • Ignored as area of study until the mid-20th century • Even though Auguste Comte coined the term 100 years prior
Motivation to Help Others • 3. Egoism • Rewards for helping • Costs of helping & not helping • Distress
Motivation to Help Others • 4. Genuine concern for others • Empathy • 5. Evolved trait • Survival of genes • Reciprocation
Egoism & Cost-Reward Motivation • Costs for Helping • Time • Danger • Expenditure of effort • Costs for Not Helping • Public disapproval • Loss of face • Embarrassment
Egoism & Cost-Reward Motivation • Rewards: • Thanks • Admiration • Financial rewards • Recognition of competence
Altruism and Empathetic Concern • Empathy-altruism model • Two states of emotional arousal witnessing another’s suffering 1. Distress: Shock, alarm, worry, upset 2. Empathy: Compassion, concern, warmth, and tenderness • Empathy heightened • Victim similar to self
Evolution and Helping • Evolutionary Theory: • Genetic trait that helps individuals survive will be passed on to next generation • Can also explain selfish or aggressive behavior • Sociobiology: • Related to “survival of the fittest” • Most likely to help those closely related to us • Reciprocity from non-relatives
2. Characteristics of Needy that foster Helping 1. Acquaintanceship 2. Liking 3. Similarity 4. Deservingness
3. Normative Factors in Helping • Outsiders should ‘mind their own business’ • Norm of Responsibility • Norm of Reciprocity • Personal Norms • Role Behavior
11/27 4. Personal & Situational Factors • Modeling Effects • What actions are possible • Gender Differences • Depends on situation • Good and Bad Moods • Good mood encourages helping • Guilt • If feel responsible
Bystander Intervention in Emergency Situations • 1. Notice something is happening • 2. Interpret as an emergency • 3. Assume responsibility • 4. Know appropriate assistance • 5. Implement assistance
The Bystander Effect • In emergency situations • Potential helpers • Influenced by relationship with other bystanders • Bystander effect: • As number of bystanders increases, likelihood that any one bystander will help a victim decreases
Understanding the Bystander Effect • Evaluation apprehension • Concern about what others expect • How others evaluate their behavior • Diffusion of responsibility • Someone else will help • How to get emergency help!!!
Costs of Emergency Intervention • Arousal/cost-reward model • Needs of the victim • Their own needs & goals • Decide if helping is too costly
6. Seeking & Receiving Help • Help & Obligation • Norm of self-reliance • Resent too much help • Threats to Self-Esteem • Implies weaknesses