3.7 MOTIVATION FOR HELP

3.7 MOTIVATION FOR HELP

Secondary motives

• MOTIVATION FOR POWER

• ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION

• MOTIVATION FOR HELP

• AFFILIATION

MOTIVATION FOR HELP allows us to

• understand the factors involved in prosocial behavior

social context will (help)

• determine the type of support that is offered

what will determine the type of support that is offered

social context

cognitive perspective suggest social judgments

• depends on the developmental stages (what is good & what is bad)

evolutionary perspective motivation to help arises

• because it facilitates genetic transfer.

helping function

• instrumental behaviour: we help someone with the expectation of a return favor.

Two types of motivation for help

• GENUINE ALTRUISM

• SELFISH ALTRUISM

GENUINE ALTRUISM

• Self-serving & selfless considerations influence our willingness to help.

• Empathy (vicarious experience of another’s feelings)

SELFISH ALTRUISM

• We help others to obtain a benefit

• (reducing guilt, feel-bad/do-good)

Volunteering considered

• altruistic activity

• individual or group provides services without financial gain to benefit another person, group or organization

Volunteering offers essential advantages, including:

• Psychological satisfaction.

• Increased useful personal contacts.

• New and relevant experiences and learning.

• New friendships.

ELEMENTS FOR MODULATING MOTIVATION FOR HELP

• NUMBER OF BYSTANDERS

• ATTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY

• SOCIAL NORMS

• REWARDS

• TIME PRESSURE

• PERSONALITY

• SIMILARITY EFFECT

• POPULATION DENSITY

NUMBER OF BYSTANDERS

• We are less likely to notice a situation when we are not alone.

ATTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Internal attributions regarding the victim will inhibit helping behavior

• while external attributions for the victim’s situation will enhance it. 

SOCIAL NORMS

Today for others, tomorrow for yourself.

REWARDS

• We seek rewards and avoid punishments

TIME PRESSURE

We are less likely to help when there is more time pressure.

PERSONALITY

Higher levels of empathy & an internal locus of control are associated with helping behavior.

SIMILARITY EFFECT

• We tend to help those we perceive as being similar to us.

POPULATION DENSITY

• Helping behavior is more common in rural environments.

MOTIVATION TO HELP _ THEORETICAL MODELS

• Evolutionary Theories

• Model of Helping

• Cost-Reward Model

Cost-Reward Model

• This process involves weighing the costs of helping or not helping against the rewards of helping or not helping

• Genetic relatedness predicts helping behavior.

• Evolution has selected for altruism toward close relatives to enhance the survival of shared genes.

Model of Helping 

We must go through different stages before helping:
A) Notice the event.
B) Interpret the need for help.
C) Take responsibility for helping.
D) Decide what kind of help to provide and offer it