Topic 19: Prosociality Flashcards
What is prosocial behaviour
Voluntary acts intended to benefit others, but may also be motivated by self interest
Is helping always prosocial?
No, as overhelping can be seen as demeaning and thus antisocial
2 types of prosocial behaviour
Altruism (benefitting others without conscious regard for one’s self interest)
Reciprocal altruism (benefitting others with the expectation they will return the benefit)
Why is it hard to study prosocial behaviour in a laboratory setting though it is ideal?
Lab studies can induce social desirability effects and demand characteristics
3 major theories
biological (nature)
social (nurture)
Biosocial (both)
Biological explaination
prosocial behaviour is innate due to survival values
Social explaination
Humans learn prosociality depending on how much it leads to benefits or costs
Biosocial explaination
how and when a person engages in prosocial behaviour depends on their own learning history and personal circumstances
Social-exchange theory
prosocial behaviour seen as a social transaction, with external rewards/costs (money, time) or internal rewards/costs (self-worth, guilt)
Study supporting social-exchange theory
Piliavin (2003) blood donation study
What factors can a person’s weighing of rewards/costs be affected by
cultural factors
situational factors
personality factors
Study supporting cultural factors
Levine et al., 2001- confederate went to different countries and measured prosocial behaviour after performing 3 different actions
Studies supporting situational factors
Prosocial models: helping is more likely when one has just seen someone else engage in helping (Bryan and Test, 1967)
Time pressure: helping is less likely when people are in a rush (Darley & Batson, 1973)
Mood: feel good – do good (Isen & Levin, 1972)
Social norms: helping is more likely in situations that remind people of helping-related norms, such as the reciprocity norm (balance giving and receiving) and social-responsibility norm (help those who need help)) (Phenice, Giffore, & Lee, 2010)
3 studies supporting personality factors
Machiavellianism (McHoskey, 1999) – willingness to exploit and manipulate others to achieve one’s own goal (reduces prosociality)
Trait empathy (Bierhoff, Klein, & Kramp, 2010) – ability and willingness to put oneself in the shoes of others to experience events and emotions as they do (enhances prosociality)
Agreeableness (Habashi et al, 2016) – study on influence of Big Five personality dimensions on prosociality.
Sex and gender study
Eagly & Crowley (1986) - men offer more help in potentially dangerous situations, women offer more nurturing help
