Bio: pro-social
What factor distinguishes altruism from pro-social behaviour?
Altruism has a cost to the helper and no clear benefit. All altruism is pro-social. Not all pro-social behaviour is altruism
How do psychologists study altruism and pro-social behaviour?
Case studies, anecdotal data, experiments and animal models
What football teams were used in Levine's (2005) study?
Man United and Liverpool
Which research method was used in Piliavin’s classic study?
field experiment
According to Staub, what should be part of every school curriculum?
Empathy training
What are the 2 biological explanations for pro-social behaviour?
Kin selection theory and Altruism is hardwired
According to Batson, which factor is the best indicator of one’s likelihood of helping?
Empathy
How would SIT explain prosocial behaviour?
We give preferential treatment to the members of our in-group while excluding other groups. When a group member needs help, we assume there is a true need for support.
What is diffusion of responsibility?
The perception that others witnessing an event will significantly decrease the likelihood that an individual will intervene in an emergency.
When several people watch an incident, they seem to reason that somebody else can, should, and probably will offer assistance.
What is a bystander intervention program?
Bystander intervention programs are being taught on college campuses to help reduce the threat of sexual violence.
An ethical bystander is an individual whose behaviour intervenes in ways that positively impact the event and its outcome.
Who were the participants in Marsh's research?
19 altruistic kidney donors
What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?
Empathy is understanding someone else’s perspective or situation
(sympathy is feeling sorry for, empathy is understanding).
What is a negative aspect of social norms in relation to pro-social behaviour?
they often make us reluctant to interfere in things that "are not our business"
What research method was used in Latané’s helping study where participants believed that a man was having a seizure?
True experiment
What was the hypothetical situation given to participants in Banyard's research ion intervention programs?
their likelihood of intervening and their understanding of myths and realities of sexual assault.
What does the term inclusive fitness mean?
Is a theory in evolutionary biology in which an organism’s genetic success is believed to be derived from cooperation and altruistic behaviour.
According to the Empathy Altruism Model what are the two feelings we can experience when we see someone in need?
1. Personal distress
2. Empathic concern
What were the two comments that Shotland and Straw used in their field experiment investigating social norms?
I don't know why I ever married you
I don't know you
In Latene, Darley and Mcguire's study what percentage of participants helped in the following conditions
1. Alone
2. Participant + 4 others
The alone condition, 85% went out and reported the seizure.
Only 31% reported the seizure when they believed there were four bystanders.
Why are video games being used to promote pro-social behaviour?
People may learn important prosocial skills when playing games designed to reward effective cooperation and helping behavior. They argue that cooperatively engaging in a video game against a common enemy could increase feelings of cohesion and promote subsequent cooperation.
Provide 2 limitations of biological explanations for pro-social behaviour.
1. reductionist
2. do not explain individual differences
3. impossible to isolate genetic and cultural variables
Outline what Toi and Batson (1982) did in their research 'helping Carol.
84 female introductory psychology students participated in the experiment.
2 conditions (high and low empathy)
Carol - classmate, broken leg, needed notes, who would help more?
Identify 2 limitations of socio-cultural explanations of pro-social behaviour.
Ecological fallacy
Research has low ecological validity when carried out in experimental conditions
How does Piliavin's findings support the theory of arousal–cost–reward model?
The drunk is helped less often because the perceived cost is greater - helping a drunk is likely to cause disgust, embarrassment, or harm. The cost of not helping is less because nobody will blame someone for not helping a drunk, because a drunk person is perceived as partly responsible for his own victimization.
Are promotion programs/strategies for pro-social behaviour effective? Provide 2 reasons