PSY2042_Prosocial_Behaviour__Prejudice_and_Discrimination_1_

Acknowledgment of Country

• MONASH University recognizes its Australian campuses are on unceded lands of the Kulin Nations.

• Pays respects to the Elders, past and present.

Course Information

• Lecturer: Dr Swati Mujumdar

• Course Title: Prosocial Behaviour, Prejudice and Discrimination (PSY2042)

• Prescribed Readings:

  • Chapter 11 – Prosocial Behaviour

  • Chapter 13 – Prejudice and Discrimination

Prosocial Behaviour

Definition

• Prosocial behaviour refers to actions intended to benefit others, with no expectation of reward or compensation.

• Defined as "voluntary behaviour intended to benefit another", including helping, sharing, donating, cooperating, and volunteering (Bergland, 2013).

Motivation to Help

• Reflection on natural altruism inspired by disasters like bushfires and floods.

• Types of helping behaviour:

  • Donating money, food, clothes, and helping wildlife.

  • Joining bush regeneration groups.

Theoretical Perspectives on Helping

Evolutionary Psychology

• Explains social behaviours through genetic factors, promoting survival.

• Kin Selection: Preference to help those related to us enhances gene propagation.

• Reference: Simpson, J. A., & Beckes, L. (2010).

Reciprocity Norm

• Helps others expecting future help in return.

• Social obligation: Feeling compelled to assist those who have helped us.

Social Exchange Theory

• Focuses on maximizing rewards and minimizing costs in helping behaviours.

• Helping can be rewarding but may also entail risks and sacrifices.

Concept of Altruism

• Altruism: Helping others even at a personal cost, driven by empathy.

• Poses questions about the existence of pure altruism and effectiveness of altruistic acts.

Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis

• One helps out of empathy regardless of self-interest.

• Distinguishes between altruism (helping for others’ welfare) and egoism (self-welfare).

Personal Qualities Influencing Prosocial Behaviour

• Altruistic Personality: Traits such as selflessness and empathy promote helping behaviour.

• Influencing factors:

  • Individual personality differences

  • Gender roles

  • Cultural background

  • Religious beliefs

  • Presence of a positive mood

Factors Influencing Helping Behaviour

Gender Influences

• Differences in helping behaviour based on gender roles, influenced by occupational context.

• Suggests men and women may be more willing to help the opposite sex.

Cultural Influences

• In-group biases; people help members of their identified group more than out-group members.

• Cultural value of Simpatía: Promotes positivity and helping in Spanish-speaking cultures.

Mood and Prosocial Behaviour

• Positive moods can increase propensity to help, maintaining self-interest in prolonging their happiness.

• "Feel bad, do good" effect: Guilt can lead to an increase in helping behaviour.

Urban Overload Hypothesis

• Urban settings create overwhelming stimuli, leading to a decline in altruistic behaviours compared to rural areas.

Residential Mobility

• Long-term residents in a community tend to engage more in prosocial behaviours due to attachment and reputation concerns.

The Bystander Effect

• Phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency when others are present.

• Historical examples: Kitty Genovese’s murder, illustrating the lack of action from bystanders.

Bystander Intervention Steps

1. Notice: Distraction can lead to missing a call for help.

2. Interpret: Pluralistic ignorance leads to misinterpretation of emergencies.

3. Responsibility: Individuals must decide if they will intervene.

4. Help: Understanding the nature of assistance needed.

5. Act: Ensure safety for both victim and helper.

Understanding Prejudice

Definition and Components

• Prejudice: Negative attitudes based on group membership.

• Components include:

  1. Cognitive: Stereotypes about groups.

  2. Affective: Personal emotional responses.

  3. Behavioural: Actions reflecting discriminatory attitudes.

Target Groups of Prejudice

• Can encompass: nationality, race, gender, religion, etc.

Cognitive Component

• Stereotypes generalize qualities of individuals based on group membership.

Affective Component

• Differentiates between explicit (open) and implicit (unconscious) prejudice.

• Emotional reactions can linger, influencing behaviour.

Behavioural Component

• Discrimination as a negative action towards groups, such as reluctance to help and microaggressions.

Suppressing and Identifying Prejudices

Measuring Prejudice

• Techniques like the Bogus Pipeline can uncover concealed biases.

• Implicit Association Test (IAT): Used to identify hidden stereotypes through reaction times.

Effects of Prejudice on Victims

• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Negative beliefs can lead to tangible consequences reinforcing those biases.

• Examples include the Placebo Effect and Pygmalion Effect in educational settings.

Stereotype Threat

• Anxiety experienced by members of marginalized groups due to fear of confirming stereotypes.

Causes of Prejudice

Institutional Discrimination

• Discriminatory structures within organizations based on ethnicity, race, or other identifiers.

Pressure to Conform

• Normative conformity causes individuals to align with group beliefs to avoid social rejection.

Social Identity Theory

• Understanding group membership influences self-perception and may lead to in-group bias.

Blaming the Victim

• Tendency to attribute victimization to personal flaws, reflecting self-protection and avoidance of feeling vulnerable.

The Role of Scapegoating

• Displacing aggression onto marginalized groups during personal frustration.

Reducing Prejudice

• Presenting counter-stereotypical information may not effectively alter beliefs.

• Contact Hypothesis: Positive contact conditions can mitigate prejudice.

Six Conditions for Contact

1. Mutual interdependence

2. Common goal

3. Equal status

4. Friendly informal setting

5. Knowing multiple out-group members

6. Social norms of equality

Conclusion

• Thank you for attending the lecture.

• For questions, email: swati.mujumdar@monash.edu.