Prosocial behaviour

Question 1

What is the difference between helping behaviour and altruism?

Answer 1

Helping behaviour = intentional acts to benefit others.
Altruism = intentional acts to be others but not oneself.

Question 2

Describe the bystander effect.

Answer 2

The likelihood of help decreases as the number of bystanders increases.

Question 3

What is the bystander intervention?

Answer 3

Breaking out of the bystander role.

Question 4

Describe the Lady in Distress (Latané & Darley, 1969) experiment.

Answer 4

Male college students completed a questionnaire, heard woman in another room struggling to open filing cabinet. Loud crash, followed by a cry of moans and groans. Participants were either on own, with 1 other participant, with 1 confederates (instructed not to react), with a friend.

70% helped when alone. 10% helped with one confederate.

Question 5

Why does being in a ‘good’ mood promote prosocial behaviour?

Answer 5

You tend to be less self-focused and more sensitive to others needs.

Question 6

What ‘negative’ physiological state promotes prosocial behaviour?

Answer 6

Guilt

Question 7

Are women more prosocial than men? In what situations?

Answer 7

Women are more prosocial in everyday situations, while men are more prosocial in unusual situations (Early & Crowley, 1986).

Question 8

Name two factors that increase prosocial behaviour (hint: make someone more likely to help).

Answer 8

Attraction and similarity.