Alturism

What is alturism

the unselfish concern for others' well-being, involving actions that benefit others at a cost to oneself without expecting rewards

Kitty Genovese: 1964, Queens

• sexually assaulted in her own street and building hallway

• many people heard her screaming no one did anything about it

• prompted better phone response

• response system ignored her

Five seps to emergency intervention

Emergency:

1. Notice that something is happening

2. Interpret event as an emrgency

3. Take responsibility for providing help

4. Decide hot to help

5. Provide help

obsticles to helping

• distraction

• self concerns

• ambiguity

• relationship between attacker and victim

• pluralistic ignorance

• diffusion of responsibilty

• audience inhibition

• cost exceed rewards

Bystander Intervention

Pluralistic ignorance - look at others to define ambiguous events if its amn emergency or not

diffusion of responsibility: responsibility divisible by number present

• responsivility not diffused when c-witnesses are clearly not able to help

• not diffused when specifically attached to a bystander

Latane & Darley Bystander intervention studies

1970

• ps complete questionnaire alone / with 2 others

• smoke comes through ventilator measure how long it takes to react

• alone: 50% leave after 2 mins, 75 by 6

• Together: 12% after 2 mins, 38% by 6

• pluralistic ignorance

1968

• ps in cubicles with headphones taking part in personal discussion - E leaves

• one ps has epileptic fit - measures if help is given within 60 secs

• victim + ps = 85%

• victim + ps + 2 = 62%

• victim + ps + 4 = 31%

• diffusion of responsibility

Moderators of the Bystander effect (Fischer et al)

• meta analysis d = -.35 for bystander apathy women more likely (small but sig)

• reduced when clear danger - argued danger recognised faster - adrenaline response

• bystander effect increased in females/strangers, lab>field due to uncertanty, increased number of bystanders

Why is helping typically more costly than non-helping

• costs time, energy and reproductive success

• helpful and cooperative despite

how can ecolutionary theory explain helping?

Kinship selection

recipricpl alturism

Kin selection

• Darwins puzzle of alturism solved by Hamilton

• unit of selection gene not individual - genes ecist in relative (inclusive fitness)

• coefficient of genetic relatedness should be related to alturism - 50 share with parents, siblines, 25 with aunts/uncles

Hamiltons rule of Kin Selection

c < br

RS cost to me < RS benefit to you X our relatedness

people more likely to give organs to family than friends

in emergency people prioritised family than friends

however 3 tierts

• close kin

• medium kin

• non kin

drops doen after parents/sibs

people prioritise genetic resaltives than romantic partners

Reciprocal alturism

• i help you, you help me

• delayed payback of alturisitc acts

• benefit to recipient higj, cost to donor low, likelihood thay positions will be revesed in futiure

Necessary conditions for recipricol alturism

• social species

• stable groups

• good facial recognition

• good long term memory

• non-coopaeration with or punishment of defectors

Prisoner Dilema (RA)

shows choice between cooperation vs selfishness

one-off interactions = people ted to defect

repeated interactions = coop increases

best strategegy = tit for tat - coop then follow partner

How would RA work in reality

runs on emotional medication

• obligation/gratitude

• guilt

• anger

Positive mood enhances likelihood of helping behaviour

Does RA exist in reality?

Primate grooming - exchange grooming for more grooming

Does RA exist in humans?

social reinforcement of reciprocity

P₁ rewards / P₁ = P₂ rewards / P₂ costs

Competitive altrurism and reputation

Real life frequency dependence

collective action like industrial action - enough people willing to sacrifice to benefit