Chapter 9: Prosocial Behavior
diffusion of responsibility
a principle suggesting that the greater the number if witnesses to an emergency the less likely victims are to receive help. This is because each bystander assumes that someone else will do it
prosocial behavior
actions by individuals that help others with no immediate benefit to the helper
social exclusion
conditions in which individuals feel that they have been excluded from some social group
empathy
emotional reactions that are focused on or oriented toward other people and include feelings of compassion, sympathy, and concern
defensive helping
help given to members of outgroups to reduce the threat they pose to the status or distinctiveness of one's ingroup
empathy-altruism hypothesis
the suggestion that some prosocial acts are motivated solely by the desire to help someone in need
empathic joy hypothesis
the view that helpers respond to the needs of a victim because they want to accomplish something, and doing so is rewarding in and of itself
kin selection theory
a theory suggesting that a key goal for all organisms-including human beings- is getting our genes into the next generation; one way in which individuals can reach this goal is by helping others who share their genes
pluralistic ignorance
refers to the fact that because none of the bystanders respond to an emergency, no one knows for sure what is happening and each depends on the others to interpret the situation
negative-state relief model
the proposal that prosocial behavior is motivated by the bystander's desire to reduce his or her own uncomfortable negative emotions or feeliings