Helping others

explanations for helping behaviour

biological, learning, attribution, norms, obligation to help, empathy

Learning explanations for helping

modelling, Bandura 1973 SLT, Bryan and Test 1967 flat tyre (viewing model increases helping)

Attribution explanation for helping

thinking I’m a helpful person, just world hypothesis

norm explanation for helping

reciprocity norm, social responsibility, percieved need Miller 1997

perceived need Miller 1997

need extent, need persistence

Latane and Darley cognitive model 1970

barriers to helping

ambiguous situations - we look to others for guidance

5 steps: notice > interpret as emergency > take responsibility for helping > decide how to help > help

Smoke filled room 1970

the presence of others inhibits emergency responses

Falling filling cabinet 1969

presence of friends increases helping

Epileptic seizure 1968

even when presuming there are bystanders, people help less

factors preventing helping

diffusion of responsibility, audience inhibition and social influence

Least help when all 3 Channels of communication are affected like:

being watched, others around not helping, other role models not helping

empathy

understanding another individual’s perspective

altruism vs egotism

empathy-altruism hypothesis

helping out of empathic concern for people in need and genuine concern for their wellbeing

Person factors in helping behaviour

mood, relationship with victim, location, mortality, competency, gender, culture (collectivist help ingroup more)

Preventing crime

increasing competency, prior commitment, counteract ambiguity to avoid diffusion of responsibility

Pilavin’s bystander calculus model

weigh up costs and benefits of not helping vs helping

motivated to reduce personal stress at lowest cost

3 stages: physiological arousal > labelling the arousal > evaluating the consequences

pluralistic ignorance

people believing own private opinions differ from majority’s, even when similar

causes conformity to group norm even if contradicts own beliefs

no one else seems worried so I won’t help

Online bystander effect

causes less helping because less empathy, increased anonymity, dilution of responsibility, disinhibition