human relationships social responsibility - theory full

Biological Explanations For Prosocial Behaviour

Prosocial behaviour (as a broad term) – is intentional actions aimed at benefiting others over oneself.

One EXTREME FORM IS altruism – when one helps another person for no apparent reward, and potentially a cost to oneself.

BUT WHY are humans altruistic? BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

AS A SPECIES

-          Natural selection -> increase behaviour that helps one survive

-          kin selection -> behaviour that helps relatives survive

-          kin selection – the more two individuals are genetically related, the more sense it makes for them to behave selflessly with each other

-          NATURAL + KIN SELECTION = selfish gene theory – there is an innate drive for the survival and propagation of one’s genes

AS INDIVIDUALS -> BRAIN ANATOMY

-          Related to amygdala activation. Larger amygdala, more empathy, more helping behaviours.

Cognitive Explanations For Prosocial Behaviour

Prosocial behaviour –intentional actions aimed at benefiting others over oneself, theory of the mind – cognitive understanding that others have perspectives and emotions distinct from your own , empathy – experiencing the emotions of others yourself,

WHEN one witnesses the suffering of someone else. THEY CAN EITHER FEEL

1.      Personal distress (fear, discomfort) = LOW empathy

2.      Empathetic concern (compassion, sympathy, sadness) = HIGH empathy

Personal distress – TWO OPTIONS

A) removing yourself (walk away, avoid)

B) egoistic helping (help to make yourself feel better. Def – suggests all prosocial behaviour is driven by self-interest) WHICH ONE ease, cost-benefit analysis

Empathetic concern – LEADS TO -> altruistic helping (ensures the person feels better. Def – voluntary selfless behaviour intended to benefit others with little/no expectation of personal reward)

-          WHEN egotistic helping WHEN altruistic helping – easy to remove?

THERE ARE TWO THEORIES – Batsen (1980) Empathy Altruism Model – helping behaviour is motivated by the need to rid distress or because of empathy. Kaldini (1987) Negative State Relief Model – one only helps to reduce sadness/empathy

 

Sociocultural explanations theory

1)      Social explanations for prosocial behaviour = social identity theory – explains how people define their self-identity through group membership

-          Social categorisation (recognising groups) -> social identification (in/out AND salience IMPACTS ALTRUISM) -> social comparison (us ys them LEADS TO in-group favouritism (Levine) AND out group discrimination

-          Social norms (salience) – beliefs and actions regarding personal behaviour in a social group (e.g. religious/school groups)

 

2)      Cultural explanations for prosocial behaviour – cultural norms – set of societal expectations that influence behaviour

-          how does the broader culture view:

-          collectivism (group identity) vs individualism (individuality)

-          economic status/work

-          social compassion – sympatico hypothesis – Latin America and Spain norm around looking out for others.

The bystander effect

Bystanderism is not helping when someone needs help

Diffusion of responsibility – when members of a group assume that someone else will act. Worsens when more people are around. Results in no action taken.

 

Informational vs normative social influence

Informational social influence – look to others to know how to react in a group. QUESTIONS WHETHER HELP IS NEEDED

Then – Pluralistic ignorance which is a type of social comparison that results in a group adopting a false belief, assume nothing is wrong

Normative social influence – when a person conforms to be liked or accepted by members of a group. Want to fit in, may stand out if helped.

 

Arousal cost reward model states that arousal is a motivational factor because it is unpleasant and the bystander is motivated to reduce it.

CREATED BY Pilivan – similar to Cialdini’s negative state model

Seeing a person distressed = emotional arousal

DEBATES REWARDS VS COSTS

Rewards = reducing own negative feeling + feel good about helping

Costs = personal safety + inconvenience + embarrassment

 

LATANE in 1981 created the law of social impact expanding on diffusion of responsibility

S = strength of situation

I = immediacy of need

N = number of people

TWO APPROACHES TO PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR – prosocial behaviour is…

ONE

Explicitly teaching altruism WITH empathy training OR bystander intervention programs

EMPATHY TRAINING – FLOOK

-          assumes that higher levels of empathy result in more helping

-          teaching others to consider feelings of others;

-          explaining the value of kind actions;

-          direct curriculum integration

BYSTANDER INTERVENTION PROGRAM – BANYARD

-          explaining HOW to help in different situations

-          goal to LOWER informational or social influence or pluralistic ignorance

-          emphasises responsibility

TWO

Modelling prosocial behaviour WITH social cognitive theory - DEELEUW

-          having role models that are relatable;

-          model replicable behaviour and is reinforced

-          tv programs i.e. sesame street

RM

ETHICS