Social Psychology Ch10 Prosocial behavior

individuation

a reduced state of self- awareness that encourages wild, impulsive behavior

how helpfulness is measured

(1) the percentage of participants in each experimental group who attempted to help and (2) the time that passed before the help began

5 steps on the path to helping in emergencies

1.Noticing, or failing to notice, that something unusual is happening 2.Correctly interpreting an event as an emergency 3.Deciding that it is your responsibility to provide help 4.Deciding that you have the knowledge and/or skills to act 5.Making the final decision to provide help

emotional empathy, empathic concern, empathic accuracy

3 components of empathy

competitive altruism

=public recognition

social exclusion, darkness, economic 'cost' of time involved in helping others

Factors that reduce helping

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 feelings

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

empathic accuracy

a cognitive component, which involves perceiving others' thoughts and feelings accurately; better social adjustment

empathic concern

involves feelings or concern for another's well-being

emotional empathy

involves sharing the feelings and emotions of others

autonomous phenomenon

more positive reactions to help often occur when the person receiving assistance believes that the help was offered because of positive feelings on the part of the helper or stemmed from personal motivation to help

empathy

motional reactions that are focused on or oriented toward other people and include feelings of compassion, sympathy, and concern

aversive racism

negative emotional reactions to black people

Situational factors

number of bystanders present, Similarity to self=increased empathy;Responsibility of victim for emergency situation;Social modeling of helping behavior (live or symbolic);Prosocial video games=models of helping (Mario), Gratitude=increase in self-worth

gratitude

thanks expressed by the recipients of help; increases prosocial behavior, primarily by enhancing helpers' feelings of self-worth

social exclusion

Conditions in which individuals feel that they have been excluded from some social group. not feeling part of community, less inclined to help

reciprocal altruism theory

a view suggesting that we may be willing to help people unre- lated to us because helping is usually reciprocated: If we help them, they help us, so we do ultimately benefit, and our chances of survival could then be indirectly increased

Prosocial behavior

helping others, with no (immediate) way of benefitting oneself; Actions by individuals that help others with no immediate benefit to the helper

prosocial video games

ncrease subsequent helping by priming prosocial thoughts, building cognitive frame- works related to helping, and related effects

perspective taking

the ability to "put yourself in someone else's shoes."

diffusion of responsibility

A principle suggesting that the greater the number of witnesses to an emergency the less likely victims are to receive help. This is because each bystander assumes that someone else will do it.

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.

defensive helping

Help given to members of outgroups to reduce the threat they pose to the status or distinctiveness of one's own ingroup; helping as a social status put-down, ex: boston globe santa boxes

perceived motives

Status differentials between helper and recipient could result in lower satisfaction; Autonomous Motivation (Choice) > Controlled Motivation (Obligation)

Internal factors

1. Empathy Across Species - emotional empathy 2.Perspective-Taking - cognitive empathy 3.Empathy within vs. across social groups 4.Development of empathy (Higher levels of empathy with secure attachment, Women > Men in empathy) 5.Other gender differences:Men > Women in courageous heroic acts, Women > Men in acts when victims at great risk

empathy-altruism hypothesis

The suggestion that some prosocial acts are motivated solely by the desire to help someone in need