Social Psychology Chapter 12 - Learning Objectives

The video on child abduction and on the people slumped over in Liverpool- what factors influenced helping?

-??? -Only one around? -One circumstance is when they have just observed someone else helping. -Another circumstance that promotes helping is having at least a little spare time; those in a hurry are less likely to help. -We tend to help those whom we perceive as being similar to us.

What is the aversive arousal hypothesis? Why do we help based off this hypothesis? How is this different than the empathy-altruism hypothesis?

-Aversive Arousal Hypothesis: Seeing another person in distress is unpleasant, so we help to reduce our own unpleasant feelings. -We help to ease the discomfort felt by witnessing someone else upset -You're not helping the other person resolve their plight because you care about them or their situation, you're helping the other person because being around upset people is uncomfortable.

Bystander effect, pluralistic ignorance, diffusion of responsibility- what are they and how do they affect helping?

-Bystander Effect: Tendency to be less likely to help as number of other bystanders increases -Pluralistic Ignorance: Each member of the group thinks they're the only one who doesn't understand what's going on. -Diffusion of Responsibility: The belief that others will take responsibility for helping a person in need. "I'm sure someone else will call 911." -They make people less likely to help in a given situation

What should you do/say when you need help in an emergency situation?

-Call on a specific bystander you see, i.e. "You in the blue shirt. I need help. Call 911" -reduce the ambiguity of an emergency, make a personal appeal, and increase feelings of responsibility.

What did the "good Samaritan sermon" study (Darley & Batson, 1973) find and what were the factors that influenced helping?

-Darley & Batson (1973) -Seminary students told to learn sermon and go across campus to deliver sermon -Some P's told "Plenty of time to get there" -Some P's told "Already late" -P's came across person slumped over in doorway -Did they help? -60%~ of those with plenty of time did -10%~ of those in a rush did -Sermon was on helping "Good Samaritan" -Some literally stepped over him! -Time influences helping (Step 5: Judge Costs and Benefits)

What were the findings and the causes in the "smoky room study"?

-Darley & Latane (1968) -P's completed questionnaire either alone or in room with 2 other people -Smoke pumped into room -Did they go get help? -Alone - 75% went to get help before room was completely filled with smoke -With 2 others - 90% never went to get help

What were the findings and causes of the "seizure" study?

-Darley & Latane (1968) -P's sat alone in cubicles -Thought they were participating in a conversation with 1 other person, 2 other people, or 5 other people -One person mentions during conversation prone to seizures -A few minutes later, this person has seizure -Did they help? -Most likely to help if only witness, next 1 of 2, next 1 of 5

What are the steps necessary for helping according to Darley and Latane's Model of Bystander Intervention?

-Darley & Latane's Model of Bystander Intervention: 1. Notice situation 2. Interpret as emergency 3. Assume responsibility 4. Know what to do 5. Judge that costs are outweighed by benefits -People only help if all 5 are true

What are egoistic and altruistic helping? What are the differences between them?

-Egoistic Helping: Helping others for benefits to the self -Altruistic Helping: Helping others for no expected benefit to the self -Source of motivation -Empathy

Which form of motive (altruistic vs. egoistic) produces longer helping and which produces more effective helping? Think Omoto & Snyder (1995).

-Egoistic: longer help -Altruistic: more effective help

What is the empathy-altruism hypothesis? Based off this hypothesis, what is needed to increase helping behavior?

-Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis: Empathy (taking perspective of person in need) can produce altruism. NOTE: empathy IS NOT sympathy -Empathy needs to increase

The Story of Kitty Genovese- what factors impeded helping?

-March 13, 1964 -Queens, NY -Knifed and Raped -Attacker left twice and came back -35 minutes before someone called police -As the number of bystanders 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.

How does mood affect our helping behaviors?

-Mood -People in good mood = more likely to help -Sad mood = likely to help if low cost, high benefit

How do mating goals increase prosocial behavior and how does this differ by gender (Griskevicius et al., 2007)?

-The idea of mating increases how likely one would be to help -Gender differences: Men: High heroic levels Women: High non-heroic levels -Men help more in dangerous situations, women as volunteers.

How do social norms and reciprocity contribute to helping?

-We help others because social norms tell us we ought to help -Norm of reciprocity: We are expected to help those who help us (e.g., mail surveys with a small gift). -Norm of Social Responsibility: We are expected to help those who are dependent on us -This norm applied selectively on attribution made for person's need -E.g., someone on crutches -Request for notes

How does kinship affect different kinds of prosocial behavior and how does this differ by who benefits from that prosocial behavior (Burnstein et al., 1994)?

-You're more likely to help your immediate family with things that will benefit them

What is the overjustification effect? How was this applied to helping behaviors? (From text)

-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. -If we provide people with enough justification for them to decide to do good, but not much more, they will attribute their behavior to their own altruistic motivation and henceforth be more willing to help

What is social capital? (from text).

-social capital: The mutual support and cooperation enabled by a social network.