Altruism and aggression: determinants and development;1 Flashcards
(3 cards)
What is the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis and who proposed it?
The Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis, proposed by Batson (1991), suggests that **people help others out of genuine empathy, not just to gain benefits. **When we feel empathy for someone, we help them even if it comes at a personal cost. If empathy is low, helping is more likely to be driven by self-interest (e.g., avoiding guilt or gaining social approval).
What is the Bystander Effect, and how does it relate to helping behavior?
The Bystander Effect is a social phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present. This is due to diffusion of responsibility—everyone assumes someone else will intervene. It was studied by Darley & Latané (1968) after the Kitty Genovese case, where many witnesses failed to help a woman being attacked.
What is the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis, and what does it explain?
Proposed by Dollard et al. (1939), this hypothesis suggests that aggression is often the result of frustration, which occurs** when a person is blocked from reaching a goal.** It doesn’t claim that frustration always causes aggression, but that it increases the likelihood of aggression, especially when no other coping options are available.
