Helping (Chapter 12) - Social Psychology - David Myers

When do we help:

1) Bystanders - As the number of bystanders at an emergency increases, any given bystander is (1) less likely to notice the incident, (2) less likely to interpret it as an emergency, and (3) less likely to assume responsibility. Experiments on helping behavior pose an ethical dilemma but fulfill the researcher's mandate to enhance human life by uncovering important influences on behavior. 2) when they have just observed someone else helping. 3) having at least a little spare time; those in a hurry are less likely to help 4) tend to help those whom we perceive as being similar to us.

Who will we help?

1) Personality - personality test scores have served as only modest predictors of helping. However, new evidence indicates that some people are consistently more helpful than others. 2) Gender - Men have been observed to help more in dangerous situations, women as volunteers. 3)Religion - Religious faith predicts long-term altruism, as reflected in volunteerism and charitable contributions.

egoism

A motive (supposedly underlying all behavior) to increase one's own welfare. The opposite of altruism, which aims to increase another's welfare.

altruism

A motive to increase another's welfare without conscious regard for one's self interest.

door-in-the-face technique

A strategy for gaining a concession. After someone first turns down a large request (the door-in-the face), the same requester counter offers with a more reasonable request.

social-responsibility norm

An expectation that people will help those needing help

reciprocity norm

An expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them.

bystander effect

The finding that a person is less likely to provide help when there are other bystanders.

kin selection

The idea that evolution has selected altruism toward one's close relatives to enhance the survival of mutually shared genes.

social capital

The mutual support and cooperation enabled by asocial network.

moral exclusion

The perception of certain individuals or groups as outside the boundary within which one applies moral values and rules of fairness. Moral inclusion is regarding others as within one's circle of moral concern.

overjustification effect

The result of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing.

social-exchange theory

The theory that human interactions are transactions that aim to maximize one's rewards and minimize one's costs.

empathy

The vicarious experience of another's feelings; putting oneself in another's shoes.

Why do we help?

• Three theories explain helping behavior: - The social - exchange theory assumes that helping, like other social behaviors, is motivated by a desire to maximize rewards, which may be external or internal.Thus, after wrongdoing, people often become more willing to offer help. Finally, there is a striking feel-good/ do-good effect: Happy people are helpful people. -Social norms also mandate helping. The reciprocity norm stimulates us to help those who have helped us. The social-responsibility norm beckons us to help needy people, even if they cannot reciprocate, as long as they are deserving. Women in crisis, partly because they may be seen as more needy, receive more offers of help than men, especially from men. • Evolutionary psychology assumes two types of helping: devotion to kin and reciprocity. Most evolutionary psychologists, however, believe that the genes of selfish individuals are more likely to survive than the genes of self-sacrificing individuals. Thus, selfishness is our natural tendency and society must therefore teach helping. -Genuine altruism