Social Psychology chapter 11

Empathic joy hypothesis

Helpers respond to the needs of a victim because they want to accomplish something, and doing so is rewarding in and of itself >crucial for the helper to know that their helped positively affected victim (empathy + feedback)

Pluralistic ignorance

The case in which people think that everyone else is interpreting a situation in a certain way, when in fact they are not

Negative Emotions & Helping- Negative moods generally mean less willing to Help

- But...what if helping generates a good feeling? People in a bad mood are more likely to help in this situation if the negative feelings are not too intense, the situation is ambiguous • Elevates their mood & makes them feel better - If helping is rewarding, people in a bad mood will be more willing to help

Norm of Reciprocity Why do we help? We don't ONLY help our relatives though

- Seems to contradict kin selection theory... Norm of reciprocity - The expectation that helping others will increase the likelihood that they will help us in the future. - also increases our chance of survival

Who Helps? • Sex Differences:

- Sex roles call for different types of helping • Men - Public, strangers & emergencies - 91% of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission recipients are men! • Women - Family, close relationships, repeated contact - More likely to engage in volunteer work

Urban v. Rural help

-Large cities -More people -Diverse population -Increased anonymity

Social Exchange Theory

-We want to maximize the benefits to helping & minimize the costs!! Rewards} - Reciprocity - Relieve distress - Social approval. Costs} - Pain - Embarrassment - Time

Bystander intervention decision tree

1.Noticing an Event -Did you even notice the situation? -Emergencies occur without warning! -We're generally not paying attention! Often habituate environmental noises and might not notice an emergency, might be deep in thought or distracted 2. Interpreting the situation -Limited & incomplete information -When women are attacked people often assume that it is a domestic violence situation even if there is no information to support this -Pluralistic Ignorance 3. Assume responsibility - Is it your responsibility to help? - If the responsibility isn't clear, do you take a leadership role? 4. Assessing your ability to take action - Do you know how to help? - Helping someone up vs. fixing a car... 5. Decide to actually help! - Can often be inhibited by fears

pluralistic ignorance

A type of misunderstanding that occurs when members of a group don't realize that the other members share their perception (often, their uncertainty about how to react to a situation). As a result, each member wrongly interprets the others' inaction as reflecting their better understanding of the situation.

Pure Altruism

An action intended solely to benefit another - No internal or external rewards (can make us feel good after the fact)

Prosocial Behavior

Any act performed with the goal of benefitting another person (even if you benefit yourself) example=putting a dollar in the Salvation Army kettle to impress your girlfriend (external reward)

When do we help? Positive Emotions & Helping Con

Bystanders in a good mood may misinterpret the situation as a non-emergency Even if the situation is interpreted as an emergency, happy people resist helping. People are more willing to help when in a good mood or the environment is pleasant (smells etc) Positive mood may be a detriment because a person in a good mood might see it through rose colored glasses or don't want trouble to bring them down.

Altruistic Personality

Empathy - Empathy-altruism hypothesis -Belief in a just world } Perceive the world as fair & predictable - Good behavior is rewarded. Social responsibility} Believe everyone is responsible for helping. Internal locus of control} Believe one can choose to behave in ways that maximize good outcomes & minimize bad ones. Low egocentrism} Not be self-absorbed & competitive (Bill Gates, Mother Theresa, Bono, Princess Diana)

When do we help? Positive Emotions & Helping Pro

Good mood = more helping After listening to a comedian, finding money, etc. Pleasant smells

Observing prosocial models increases prosocial behavior

Increases pro social behavior - Someone else donates money...we're more likely to donate money - Bryan & Test (1967) >More likely to help a lady with a flat tire when they had seen a similar situation where someone was helping. If we watch someone on TV helping, we are more likely to help

Batson (1991)

Out of the goodness of our hearts due to empathy (when basic empathy enters the picture true altruism can occur)

Multiple Victims?

Reduces empathy & helping> - It's difficult to empathize with for numerous individuals at once -Charities> -Save the starving children =less help -Save this starving child =more help

division of responsibility

Situation in which the other auditors are involved with the examination of a subsidiary, branch, component, or investment that is included in the financial statements audited by principal auditors

Empathy

The ability to put oneself in the shoes of another person and to experience events and emotions the way that person experiences them. - Compassion - Sympathy - Concern

Atruism

The desire to help another person even if it involves a cost to the helper

Bystander effect

The finding that the greater the number of bystanders who witness an emergency, the less likely any one of them is to help

Kin Selection Theory

The idea that behaviors that help a genetic relative are favored by natural selection. -Especially younger relatives -Especially in life threatening situations. 1994 study> people were more likely to help close relative over distant relative or stranger. Help younger over older

Empathy-altruism hypothesis (Batson)

The idea that when we feel empathy for a person, we will attempt to help that person purely for altruistic reasons, regardless of what we have to gain. -Empathy >Help regardless of your self-interests (will even put oneself in danger) Example> softball player helped by opposing team (Batson never claimed that altruism is responsible for all acts of helping)

Diffusion of responsibility

The phenomenon whereby each bystander's sense of responsibility to help decreases as the number of witnesses increases

Altruistic Personality

The qualities that cause an individual to help others in a wide variety of situations (identical twins are more likely to share this trait than fraternal twins)

Urban Overload Hypothesis

The theory that people living in cities are constantly being bombarded with stimulation and that they keep to themselves to avoid being overwhelmed by it. -Stanley Milgram (1970)

norms of reciprocity

people's tendency to think that when someone does something nice for them, they ought to do something nice in return

kin selection

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

External Locus of Control:

the perception that chance or outside forces beyond one's personal control determine one's fate

Internal Locus of Control

the perception that one controls one's own fate

Negative-state relief model

the proposal that prosocial behavior is motivated by the bystander's desire to reduce his or her own comfortable negative emotions or feelings

urban overload hypothesis

the theory that people living in cities are constantly being bombarded with stimulation and that they keep to themselves to avoid being overwhelmed by it

Increasing Helping

• "YOU help me!" • Reduce distraction • Reduce pluralistic ignorance • Reduce diffusion of responsibility • Reduce concerns of competency • Reduce bystander effect!!

Who do we help • Attractive people

• Attractive people • Non-sex specific • Physical & Interpersonal • Why? (hope to create a relationship) • Hope of some personal reward • But what about anonymous acts (attractive people more likely to get help even when it is anonymous)

Increasing Helping

• Educate others • Provide helpful models • Teach moral inclusion

Reduce Diffusion

• Knowing the victim • Knowing other bystanders • One's role in the group or society

Who do we help

• People who are not responsible for their problem (studies show caregivers were more negative about individuals whom they assumed were responsible for their condition I.E. lung cancer) • Those that are similar to us - Attraction - More empathy