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Chapter
Why do We Help?
Prosocial behavior positive social actions intended to help others
l Egoistic model when behaviors are done for selfish reasons l Altruistic model when behaviors are done for selfless reasons
Norms
Two social "rules" for when people behaving in prosocial ways Reciprocity norm (Gouldner, 1960) We help others who have helped us Even in babies there seems to be an instinctive drive to "repay" a favor
Norms
Social responsibility norm ( Fisher 1981,Fellner and Marshall 1981) Prosocial behavior can be inspired by pressure from society and its members Help is given to those who are seen to be dependent or lack the capacity to help themselves e.g. children, elderly and disabled If we think a victim is to blame for their situation, however, we wont help
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Schwartzs Model
i) ACTIVATION (potential helper perceives need for help and some responsibility for his/her
behaviour)
ii)
( a personal norm calling for specific action is generated and creates a feeling of moral obligation)
iii)
(the helper assess potential responses and their implications either assuming or denying personal responsibility to act )
iv)
(action is taken if activation and obligation have occurred and defenses against acting are minimal; otherwise inaction occurs)
Empathy is the capacity to be able to experience others emotional states, feeling sympathetic toward them, and taking their perspective
From C.D. Batson, The Altruism Question, 1991. Reprinted with permission of Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Helper responds to the needs of a victim because they want to accomplish something and doing so is rewarding in and of itself i.e. it feels good to have a positive effect on the lives of other people.
According to Attributional model of helping, thoughts are also important Attribution i) if internal and controllable cause then negative emotion is aroused ii) if external and uncontrollable cause then positive emotion is aroused Emotion experienced determines the degree to which the help is provided
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Analysis Analysisof ofsituation situation in inorder orderto tolabel label arousal arousal
When do we help ?
The decision model of bystander intervention By John Darley and Bibb Latane 1968 e.g. Kitty Genovese in 1964
When Do We Help?
All of these attacks had many witnesses, yet nobody intervened The five step decision model states that several criteria must be satisfied for a bystander to intervene and help
When Do We Help?
One: Notice the emergency
Can be affected by personal life concerns and proximity to the event. If the potential helper is preoccupied by special concerns then prosocial behaviour is less likely to occur
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Pluralistic ignorance if nobody else helps, we might believe help is not needed
When Do We Help?
Three: Feel a sense of responsibility
The bystander effect the more people present, the more we experience a diffusion of responsibility
When Do We Help?
Five: Provide help
It is best to do so in a way that does not compromise your own safety (if possible)
When Do We Help?
The decision model of bystander intervention
l Kitty Genovese in 1964
When Do We Help?
All of these attacks had many witnesses, yet nobody intervened The five step decision model states that several criteria must be satisfied for a bystander to intervene and help
When do We Help?
One: Notice the emergency
l Can be affected by personal life concerns and proximity to the event
Factors Affecting the Decision to help: Evaluation Apprehension and Audience Inhibition Bystanders may feel evaluation apprehension, concern about what others expect of them and how others will evaluate their behavior.
l In addition, if others are present and not reacting it may seem to infer that others do not see the need to intervene. l Intervention in this case would seem foolish
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Action of Others
-- facial expressions, words, deeds -- reinforcement and punishment -- social learning and modeling
2.PERSONAL FACTORS
Emotional factors Attractiveness Similarity and Mimicry Background Variables Personality Traits Gender Time Pressures Motivational factors Culture Modelling
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Emotional state
Mood l As noted, being in a good mood increases the chance of prosocial behavior - The mood can increase self-awareness - We match our actions with our actual self
Negative mood increases help only when the need for the help is clear, when little cost is involved and when the adult view the help as the negative state relief.
Attractiveness
Attractiveness sadly, we are more likely to help attractive people. Why do you think that is?
Background variables
Size of the Town Study by Latane and Darley (1970) Small Town people help more as compared to large cities
Personality traits
Altruistic personality 5 traits that correlate with prosocial behavior
l Empathy l Internal locus of control l Belief in a just world l A sense of social responsibility l Low egocentrism
Modeling
Modeling
l When we observe other people (family, peers, role models) behave prosocially, we are likely to as well l The media is a big factor in this area
Modeling Prosocial Behavior. If we are exposed to role models who exhibit prosocial behavior, we are more likely to exhibit such behaviors ourselves.
Volunteering
A special type of help is required when the person in need has a chronic, continuing problem that requires help over a prolonged time period ( Williamson and Schulz, 1995). A person who volunteers to provide assistance in this context must commit their time and effort over weeks, months or even longer. E.g. tsunami struck South Asia 2004
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff
Volunteering?
I---Five step Model II--6 Motives given by Clary and Snyder (1999)
i)Values: Personal values of humanitarianism ii)Understanding: The need to understand more about the issue (disease) iii)Enhancement: The desire to enhance ones own development, iv)Career: The chance to gain career-related experience, v)Social: The need to improve ones own personal relationships, vi)Protective: The desire to reduce negative feelings such Socialor Psychology Education, Inc. as THINK guilt, escape from personal problems Copyright 2012 by Pearson Kimberley Duff All rights reserved.
Volunteering ?
III Mandates, Altruism, or Generativity
Mandates- making compulsory e.g. required to do voluntary work to complete Graduation Altruism- volunteers believe in internal locus of control and empathy Generativity- is defined as an adults interest in and commitment to the well-being of future generations e.g. becoming parents, teaching young people
Prosocial behaviour occurs early in life. Even children as young as 18 months frequently help other, eg, trying to make a crying infant feel better. One powerful way to encourage prosocial behaviour is for parents and others to reward such acts with praise, smiles, and hugs, research shows.
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Instilling Helpfulness with Rewards & Models We must be careful and not over emphasize the reward aspect because this can lower the intrinsic value of performing the prosocial behaviour, and decrease the probability of acting prosocially in subsequent situations, in the absence of rewards. We want children to perceive themselves as altruistic people, so that they enhance the intrinsic value of acting prosocially.
THINK Social Psychology Kimberley Duff Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
If being helped means that they appear incompetent, resulting in lowered self-esteem then some people will chose not to accept help they will often suffer in silence, even at the cost of failing at the task. We need to make help supportive and non-threatening for it to be most effective.
Education
l Enlightenment effect learning about barriers to prosocial behavior helps remove them
Enlightened About Pluralistic Ignorance. By learning about psychological theories that help you understand your own thought processes and behaviors, you can avoid falling prey to the obstacles that may prevent you from helping others in need.