Altruism & Cooperation (Chapter 14) Social Psych

What is Altruism?

Doing something good without any external gain

Who is Daniel Batson?

Argued 3 motivations in helping others

• Only 1 is not selfish

What are the 3 Motivations in Helping Others?

1. Social Rewards

2. Personal (Empathic) Distress

3. Empathic Concern

What benefits come from Social Rewards?

• Praise

• Positive Attention

• Tangible Rewards

• Honors 

• Gratitude

Selfish!

What happens when you help others in Personal (Empathic) Distress?

Your own distress is reduced by helping others in distress 

• Selfish!

• Heart rate increases

What is Empathic Concern?

The genuine intent to help others

• Sympathy, compassion, no external rewards

• Heart rate decreases; even if the other person is in distress

• NOT SELFISH!

What study was conducted by Eisnberg for Physiology of Empathy?

A study where students in 2nd grade got showed a video of a mother and her child a car accident 

• Child was the same age as them

How did the students show Empathic Distress?

• Face showed a pained wince

• Heart rate accelerated

• Wouldn’t go to classmate’s home to give them homework because they’d miss recess

How did the students show Empathic Concern?

• Eyebrows were pulled in & upwards

• Showed concerned gaze

• Heart rate deceleration

• Would go to the classmate’s home to give them homework, even if it meant missing recess

What study was conducted by Batson in order to Test for Empathic Concern?

A study where participants were ordered to watch confederates complete a memory task where they were shot for each mistake made

What was the difference between those who showed Empathic Distress & Empathic Concern?

Empathic Concern —> took the 2 shocks for the other person

Empathic Distress —> left after 2 trials were conducted

• Both had the option to leave after 2 trials

How did the Janet Arnold study look at Empathic Distress & Empathic Concern?

Note #1: Janet says she felt out of place at her new University

• Feeling what Janet feels = Empathic Concern

Note #2: Janet expressed a string need for a friend

• Looking at the facts = Empathic Distress 

• Crisis, heart racing

True/False: Empathy is not affected by anonymous conditions

FALSE!

Even in anonymous conditions, empathy promotes altruistic behavior

What is the Bystander Effect?

When people will only help you if they’re alone

• NOT when others are around

What is a Situational Factor when it comes to Altruism?

Rushing

• People are not at their best when they’re rushing

What is Pluralistic Ignorance?

An error in thinking that no one else perceives things the way you do

• You think you’re the only one alarmed

What is Diffusion of Responsibility?

Passing the buck

• People who want to intervene become frozen & unsure

• They think someone else will do something

What is Bystander Intervention?

The likelihood that others will intervene to help in a situation of need

• Cross-cultural

True/False: Collectivistic cultures are more likely to help someone no matter what

FALSE!

While they are more likely to help, they also can succumb to the bystander effect

True/False: People who are in a packed area help in order to get along with others

FLASE!

People who are in a packed area are LESS likely inclined to get along with others

What are the 3 Victim Characteristics?

1. Numbers

2. Speech

3. Gender

How is help effected by Numbers?

The more people around you = a better chance of getting help

How is help effected by Speech?

Saying what’s wrong & directly talking to someone gets you more help

Who receives more help when it comes to Gender?

Women (generally)

• Especially if they’re attractive & wear feminine attire

What is Ambiguity?

People who are more likely to help when fully aware of the events

Example of Ambiguity

Seeing a person pass out and regain consciousness makes you more likely to help them

True/False: Being primed by religion prompts people to give/donate more money to others

TRUE!

What is Prisoner’s Dilemma?

When one inmate cooperates and the other doesn’t

Example of Prisoner’s Dilemma

Inmate A: Cooperates & gets community service

Inmate B: Doesn’t cooperate & gets 10 years of prison time

What is the Tit-For-Tat Method?

When you show cooperation, and the other person doesn’t 

• You then have the right to not show cooperation either

• Think “you go low, I go lower”