Social Behaviour and Decision Making

Social behaviour

refers to any behaviour where interaction occurs between two or more people

Positive social behaviour is

pro-social behaviour

Negative social behaviour is

anti-social behaviour

Pro-social behaviour

is any voluntary behaviour intended to help or benefit another person, group or society

Factors influencing Prosocial Behaviour

situational factors
Social Norms
Personal factors

situational factors

1. Noticing the situation
2. Interpreting the situation
3. Taking responsibility for helping
The bystander effect

1. Noticing the

situation

When individuals are on their own, they are quicker to notice something ‘different’ or unusual than when they are in a group

2. Interpreting the situation

Many situations in which help may be required are ambiguous or unclear and as a result, people cannot always be sure that a helping response is appropriate or required

- The less ambiguous the situation, the more likely help will be offered

3. Taking

responsibility for

helping

Although you may notice and correctly interpret a situation as one in which

help is required, you are unlikely to intervene and help unless you believe it

is your responsibility to do so

The bystander effect

is the tendency for individuals to be less likely to help another person in need when other by-standers are present, or believed to be present

• The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely any one of them is to help

social Norms

are standards, or ‘rules’, that govern what people should or should not do in different social situations

Two social norms that can influence us to help:

1. Reciprocity norm

2. Social responsibility norm

The reciprocity norm

prescribes that we should help others who help us

• To receive without giving in return goes against or breaks the reciprocity norm

The social responsibility norm

prescribes that we should help those who need help because it is our responsibility or duty to do so

However, we are selective in the way we apply this norm

• If someone has not been responsible for bringing about their hardship, we are more likely to help and be generous

• If we believe that someone is in some way responsible for bringing about their own problems, we are less likely to help

Empirical evidence suggests that various personal

factors can influence pro-social behaviour

• These include:

1. Our ability to empathise with others

2. The mood we are in when help is needed

3. Whether we feel competent to give the help that is

required

Empathy

is the ability to identify with and

understand another person’s feelings or

difficulties

a good mood

increases helping, whereas a bad mood will sometimes increase and sometimes

decrease helping behaviour

3. Competence

• We can’t help someone if we don’t have the skills required or don’t know how

• As a result, our actual or perceived ability to help can influence whether or not we help in a specific situation, as well as the type of help we may offer

• Research indicates that people with abilities or training relevant to a situation in which help is required are more likely to help

Altruism

refers to pro-social behaviour focused on the wellbeing or benefit of

others without any thought of personal gain or reward

Altruism is a sub-category

of pro-social behaviour

While all altruistic acts are pro-social,

not all pro-social behaviours are completely altruistic

Some psychologists say altruism differs

from ordinary helping behaviour

because it involves an element of

personal risk

Factors influencing reluctance to help

1. Diffusion of responsibility

2. Audience Inhibition

3. Cost-benefit analysis

Diffusion of responsibility

is the belief that, in a situation where

help is required and others are

present, one or more other people

will or should take responsibility

for helping

When other people are present,

responsibility

is divided up or

diffused across the whole group

Audience inhibition

is not helping another person because of a fear of appearing foolish in the presence of others

The presence of others at the scene provides

an audience and this increases the chance of being embarrassed or feeling foolish

Audience inhibition typically leads bystanders

to keep calm in an emergency and check to see how others present are reacting

• The problem is that if people observe that everyone else is keeping calm they will conclude that no-one else is concerned and therefore help is not needed

A cost-benefit analysis

involves an individual weighing up the personal and social costs of helping

against the benefits of helping

COSTS

• Effort & time required

• Risks such as personal injury

• Feeling bad (guilt or embarrassment)

• Worsening the situation

• Loss of resources (eg. damaged clothing)

BENEFITS

• Monetary reward -

• Gratitude of the victim

• Help in return (reciprocity)

• Feeling good

• An increase in self-esteem

• Social approval