Prosocial behavior

Study Guide: Prosocial Behavior

Definition

  • Prosocial Behavior: Voluntary behavior carried out to benefit another person.

    • Intent is crucial: Must intend to help another person.

    • Behavior must be performed of one’s own free will.

Types of Prosocial Behavior

  1. Egoistic Helping: Helping others in exchange for something in return.

  2. Altruistic Helping: Helping without expecting anything in return.

Case Study: Kitty Genovese (March 13, 1964)

  • Victim of a fatal attack that highlighted bystander apathy.

  • Approximately 12 people heard her calls for help; only a few intervened.

  • Event raised questions about the conditions under which individuals help others.

Research Findings (Darley & Latane, 1968)

-Study One: Group Discussions and Emergency Situations

  • Participants were led to believe they were in a group discussion and someone had a seizure.

  • Results: Delay in response time for help correlates with group size.

  • Study Two: Smoke-Filled Room Experiment

    • Participants filled out a questionnaire while smoke was pumped into the room.

    • Found that 75% of participants helped when alone vs. 53% in a group.

Reasons for Not Helping

  • Presence of Others:

    • Reduces likelihood of intervention (Bystander Effect).

    • Individuals are slower to respond in groups.

  • Audience Inhibition Effect (Bystander Effect):

    1. Information Dependence: Ambiguous situations prompt reliance on others for understanding.

    2. Outcome Dependence: Fear of embarrassment or negative outcomes can inhibit helping behavior.

    3. Diffusion of Responsibility: Increased number of people leads to decreased individual responsibility.

Do Altruism and Empathy Exist?

  • Altruism: Helping without regard for personal cost/benefit.

  • Two driving factors for helping:

    1. Empathy: Compassion for another's situation.

    2. Personal Distress: Seeking to alleviate one’s own anxiety or helplessness (not true altruism).

Is Helping Always Beneficial?

  • Can contribute to negative feelings, especially when help is seen as unreciprocated.

  • Equity and Reciprocity: People aim to balance help given/received; imbalance may threaten self-esteem or foster dependency.