Prosocial behavior

Social exchange: maximize reward minimize cost

Reward

reciprocity, relief, self worth

cost

danger,pain, embarrassment, time

People help when benefits outweigh costs

true altruism does not exist

Evolutionary psychology

kin selection: behaviors that help genetic relative are favored

Reciprocity norm: helping others will increase the likelihood that they will help us in future

prosocial behavior and altruism

Any act performed with goal of benefiting another personAltruism desire to help even if it involves cost to helper

How can helping be increased?

Awareness of bystander effect

Increasing Volunteerism

must not be imposed to avoid over justification effect

Empathy altruism hypothesis

we will help purely for altruistic reasons regardless of gain

we will help if we feel empathy

If not we will help if benefits outweigh costs

Personal qualities: why do Some people help more than others

Altruistic personality

Qualities

not much more likely to help

Gender differences

males heroic acts, females long term relationships commitment

Cultural differences

ingroup-empathy, outgroup-furthers self interest

Effect of mood

feel good, do good

Feel bad, do good

Guilt to cancel bad deeds

Sad, negative state relief hypothesis

Situational determinants of prosocial behavior: when will people help

Rural vs urban

Residential mobility: longtime one place

The more bystanders the less likely to help

Communal relationship vs exchange relationship

In general we are more likely to help in a Communal relationship than an exchange relationship except if our self esteem is threatened then we are more likely to help the stranger.

Effects of media: Video games and song lyrics increase helping