Chapter 10

The first step involved in deciding whether or not to offer assistance in an emergency is _____.

Action to notice that something unusual is happening

Joyce believes that she can choose to act in ways that maximize positive outcomes and minimize negative ones. Penny believes that her behaviors do not usually influence the outcomes of various situations to any great extent, but that most things are determined by luck or things that are beyond her control. Joyce has _____ and Penny has _____.

An internal locus of control; an external locus of control

The empathy-altruism hypothesis suggests that _____.

At least some prosocial behavior is motivated solely by the desire to help someone in need

Altruism:

Behavior that is motivated by an unselfish concern for the welfare of others

An altruistic personality includes five major components, including _____.

Empathy, belief in a just world, acceptance of social responsibility, having an internal locus of control, and not being egocentric

Steven sees an emergency and then his empathy is aroused; he then provides help simply because the victim needed help and it felt good to provide help. This example illustrates the _____.

Empathy-altruism hypothesis

Empathic responses to the needs of others are more common in children who _____.

Have a secure attachment style

Children who watch TV shows that depict prosocial themes are _____.

More likely to help in other situations

Actions that benefit others without providing any direct benefit to the actor are known as _____.

Prosocial behavior

Jason is the owner of a furniture store in a small Southern town. He donated a several hundred mattresses to the Red Cross immediately after hearing about the devastation caused in a neighboring state by a hurricane. He was motivated to do so by his desire to help others, by thoughts of the income tax deduction he could take, and by the recognition his store would receive from his act of charity. This is an example of _____.

Prosocial behavior

Susan believes that each individual is responsible for trying to help anyone who needs assistance. This attitude is associated with _____.

Social responsibility

Bystander Effect:

The fact that the likelihood of a prosocial response to an emergency is affected by the number of bystanders who are present

Negative State Relief Model:

The proposal that prosocial behavior is motivated by the bystanders desire to reduce his or her own uncomfortable negative emotions

In gener can offer effective direct help o____.

When the helper and recipient are similar

Altruistic Personality:

A combination of dispositional variables associated with prosocial behavior. The components are empathy, belief in a just world, acceptance of social responsibility, having an internal locus of control, and not being egocentric.

Empathy:

A complex affective and cognitive response to another person's emotional distress. Empathy includes being able to feel the other persons emotional state, feeling sympathetic and attempting to solve the problem, and taking the perspective of others

Justin believes that good behavior is usually rewarded and bad behavior is generally punished. He also believes that helping others is the right thing to do. Justin displays _____.

A belief in a just world

Prosocial Behavior:

A helpful action that benefits other people without necessarily providing any direct benefits to the person performing the act, and that may even involve a risk for the person who helps

Reciprocal Altruism:

A theory suggesting that by sharing resources such as food, organisms increase their chances of survival, and thus the likelihood that they will pass their genes on to the next generation

Ron and Elaine are walking down the street when they see someone helping an old man across the road. On the next block, they see a woman having difficulty in trying to get across the street. Elaine says, "We'd better give her a hand"; The woman who initially helped the old man _____.

Acted as a role model

Egoism is _____.

An exclusive concern with one's own personal needs and welfare rather than with the needs and welfare of others

Egoism:

An exclusive concern with ones own personal needs and welfare rather than with the needs and welfare of others

David sees a homeless person and thinks that ""this guy has no one to blame but himself." Thus, David appears to believe that this homeless man's misfortunes are _____.

Controllable

Angela tells her friends that the reason she volunteers is that is "makes me feel better about myself" For Angela, volunteering serves a(n) _____ function.

Enhancement

Research suggests that cognitive empathy, involving perspective taking, is due to _____.

Environmental factors, such as early childhood experiences

Empathy develops _____.

From a combination of biological and environmental factors

A New York City taxi cab driver once intervened and stopped what he perceived to be a mugging in progress, even though it actually was a group of actors performing a scene for a television sketch. The taxi driver probably intervened due to _____.

His feelings of empathy

Belief in a just world involves _____.

Perceptions that the world is fair and predictable, and that good behavior is rewarded while bad behavior is punished

Bystanders frequently fail to respond to an emergency because no one else is responding. We tend to rely on what others say and do when we are not sure of the nature of the situation or of what behaviors to engage in. This is known as _____.

Pluralistic ignorance

Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis:

The proposal that prosocial behavior is motivated solely by the desire to help someone in need and by the fact that it feels good to help

Two aspects of empathy are _____ and _____.

Taking another's perspective; sympathizing with another person

A bystander may ultimately decide not to help when confronted with an emergency situation if _____.

The bystander fears potential negative consequence's of trying to help

A bystander can offer effective direct help only if _____.

The bystander has the knowledge and or skills to act in a helpful way

The inhibiting effect of multiple bystanders to an emergency is lessened if _____.

The group of bystanders are friends

Empathy Joy Hypothesis:

The proposal that prosocial behavior is motivated by the positive emotion a helper anticipates experiencing as the result of having a beneficial impact on the life of someone in need.

Inclusive fitness refers to _____.

The idea that natural selection applies to behaviors that benefit other individuals with whom we share genes

Kin selection refers to _____.

The idea that natural selection applies to behaviors that benefit other individuals with whom we share genes

Diffusion Of Responsibility:

The idea that the amount of responsibility assumed by bystanders in an emergency is shared among them

Self-interest is _____.

The motivation to engage in whatever behavior provides the greatest satisfaction for oneself

The bystander effect is _____.

The observation that the probability of a prosocial response to an emergency is influenced by the number of bystanders present

Pluralistic Ignorance:

The tendency of bustanders in an emergency to rely on what other bystanders do and say, even though none of them is sure about what is happening or what to do about it. Very often, all of the bystanders hold back and behave as if there is no problem. Each individual uses this "information" to justify the failure to act.

Paul, an active two-year-old, has developed a very secure attachment to his mother. In addition, his parents encourage Paul to watch TV shows such as "Barney". As a result, Paul is likely to grow up _____.

To be a kind, empathetic person

Egocentric people tend _____.

To be self-absorbed and competitive

People who imagine how another person perceives an event and how that person must feel as a result, tend to _____.

Tend to be motivated by the emotional responses of fictional characters

Kin Selection:

Another term for inclusive fitness—the concept that natural selection not only applies to individuals, but also involves behaviors that benefit other individuals with whom we share genes.

A local couple frequently make fairly large anonymous donations to several charities in the town where they live. Although it is true that they receive some benefit on their income tax returns for their donations, they are motivated primarily by an unselfish concern for other people's welfare. This is an example of _____.

Altruism

Behavior that is motivated by an unselfish concern for the welfare of others is known as _____.

Altruism

Recent research into the biological basis for empathy suggests that two aspects are hereditary. What are they?

Personal distress; sympathetic concern