Social Psychology - Prosocial Behavior

Motivations for helping - Learning Theories

- Classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, and observational learning play important roles in the development of human prosocial behavior. - Childhood is a critical period for the acquisition of prosocial behaviors. - Some of the methods by which the acquisition of these behaviors is most effective are: 1. Instructions 2. Reinforcements 3. Models

Prosocial Behavior

A broad category that refers to acts that are valued positively by society and that contribute to a person's physical or psychological well-being. It is voluntary and intended to help others. Includes altruism, charity, cooperation, aid, rescue, sacrifice, friendship, sharing, sympathy, trust

Kin Selection (neoptism)

A cooperator has a particular inclination for blood relatives because any cooperation helps to propagate one's own genes.

Altruism

A subcategory of helping behavior. A set of behaviors motivated by the desire to benefit another person without expectation of personal benefit. Sometimes it is difficulr to determine the existence of "private" rewards associated with acts of help.

Helping behavior

A subcategory of prosocial behavior. A set of acts that deliberately benefit another person.

Motivations for helping - Personality and Prosocial Behavior

Certain personality traits predispose people to prosocial behaviors in certain situations. Some defining traits of helpers are: - High selc-concept as empathic people - High belief in a fair world - Socially responsible - Internal control locus - Low egocentrism

Mutualism

Cooperative behaviors benefit both the cooperator and others.

A Prosocial Personality

Has been defined based on two factors: 1. Prosocial thoughts and feelings: cognitive and affective empathy and responsibility for the needs of others. 2. Kindness: past and present experience of the help that has been given to others.

The Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1973)

Human social behavior is not innate but learned though models. It is the knowledge of what happens to the model that will determine whether the person will help or not. If the result is positive, the effectiveness of the model will increase. If the result in negative, the effectiveness of the model will decrease. Learning by direct experience is the behavior acquired after seeing that another person is rewarded for it.

Kitty Genovese

New York, 1964: - Woman attacked without anyone helping her, even though several people witnessed/heard the attack --> bystander effect.

Motivations for helping - Evolutionary Theories

People have innate tendencies to help others. Prosocial behaviors are a trait with evolutionary value. A limitation of these theories is that the helping gen has not been found. Explanations of prosocial behaviors in animal and humans: - Mutualism - Kin Selection - Reciprocity - Sanction

Reciprocity

People help as a response to a previous help or the expectation of another similar behavior.

Internal Control Locus

People with internal control locus consider that events are not a consequence of luck but depend on themselves.

Instructions (Learning Theories)

Simply telling children to help others increase their kindness. Telling a child what the appropriate behavior is, sets an expectation about it and guides his or hers behaviors.

Motivations for helping - Social Norms

Sometimes aid is given to other merely because it is normative in that articular context. Rules provides us with pattern of behavior about the right way to behave. Rules are learned and depend on the culture

Sanction

The group marginalizes individuals who engage in uncooperative behaviors.

Models (Learning Theories)

The tendency of people to reproduce the actions, attitudes, and emotions of a model (real or symbolic). This type of learning is also called observational learning.

Reinforcement (Learning Theories)

When the behavior is reinforced, it is easier to repeat, so rewarding children who help will make it more likely that they will repeat that behavior.