altruism & bystanders prosocial behaviour altruistic behaviour bystander behaviour
TRANSCRIPT
Altruism & BystandersAltruism & Bystanders
Prosocial behaviourProsocial behaviour
Altruistic behaviourAltruistic behaviour
Bystander behaviourBystander behaviour
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Would You Help?Would You Help?
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Important TermsImportant Terms
Prosocial behaviourProsocial behaviour Acts that benefit people other than the actorActs that benefit people other than the actor
Altruistic behaviourAltruistic behaviour Acts that benefit others, carried out at a Acts that benefit others, carried out at a costcost
to the actorto the actor
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Universal EgoismUniversal Egoism
Evolutionary processes do not obviously Evolutionary processes do not obviously favour selfless behaviourfavour selfless behaviour
Consequently, psychologists widely Consequently, psychologists widely assume that all ‘altruistic’ acts involve assume that all ‘altruistic’ acts involve benefits to the actorbenefits to the actor
Apparently selfApparently selflessless acts are carried out for acts are carried out for selfselfishish reasons reasons
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ExplanationsExplanations
Arousal-cost reward (Piliavin & Piliavin)Arousal-cost reward (Piliavin & Piliavin) Others’ distress causes Others’ distress causes arousalarousal, which we , which we
are motivated to reduceare motivated to reduce Can Can reducereduce arousal by either helping the arousal by either helping the
person or walking away from the situationperson or walking away from the situation Decision to help determined by Decision to help determined by costscosts versus versus
rewardsrewards of helping/not helping of helping/not helping
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ExplanationsExplanations
Empathy-Altruism (Batson)Empathy-Altruism (Batson) Altruism/helping is motivated by the ability to Altruism/helping is motivated by the ability to
empathise with the person in troubleempathise with the person in trouble Helping brings a range of benefits:Helping brings a range of benefits:
To the self (egoism)To the self (egoism)
To the group (collectivism, inclusive fitness)To the group (collectivism, inclusive fitness)
Upholding principlesUpholding principles
Obeying social normsObeying social norms
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PredictionsPredictions
Arousal-Cost-RewardArousal-Cost-Reward We will help when costs are We will help when costs are lowlow, rewards are , rewards are
highhigh and costs of not helping are and costs of not helping are highhigh
Empathy-AltruismEmpathy-Altruism We will help when empathic identification We will help when empathic identification
(similarity) is (similarity) is highhigh and ease of escape is and ease of escape is lowlow
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Bystanders in EmergenciesBystanders in Emergencies
The Bystander Effect (Latane & Darley):The Bystander Effect (Latane & Darley): The more people present at an emergency, The more people present at an emergency,
the less likely that help will be giventhe less likely that help will be given
Diffusion of responsibilityDiffusion of responsibility
Pluralistic ignorancePluralistic ignorance
The nature of the situationThe nature of the situation
The characteristics of the potential helperThe characteristics of the potential helper
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Diffusion of ResponsibilityDiffusion of Responsibility
1 person present – sole responsibility1 person present – sole responsibility
2 people present – 50% responsible2 people present – 50% responsible
30 people present – all assume someone 30 people present – all assume someone else will take care of itelse will take care of it
E.g. Kitty Genovese case (NB. This is E.g. Kitty Genovese case (NB. This is NOT a study, so don’t use it as such)NOT a study, so don’t use it as such)
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Pluralistic IgnorancePluralistic Ignorance
Embed smoke-filled room video on this slide
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Pluralistic IgnorancePluralistic Ignorance
Occurs when situation is not clearly an Occurs when situation is not clearly an emergency i.e. is emergency i.e. is ambiguousambiguous
People cue their own behaviour off othersPeople cue their own behaviour off others
So if no-one knows whether to do So if no-one knows whether to do anything, no-one does anythinganything, no-one does anything
A form of A form of informational influenceinformational influence (conformity)(conformity)
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Other FactorsOther Factors
Does the potential helper have the skills to Does the potential helper have the skills to help?help?
Is there someone else nearby more Is there someone else nearby more qualified to intervene?qualified to intervene?
Is the person in genuine need Is the person in genuine need (legitimacy)?(legitimacy)?
Is the person perceived to have brought it Is the person perceived to have brought it on themselves?on themselves?
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Cultural VariationsCultural Variations
Are there differences in prosocial/helping Are there differences in prosocial/helping behaviour?behaviour? WithinWithin a culture e.g. urban versus rural areas a culture e.g. urban versus rural areas BetweenBetween cultures e.g. individualist versus cultures e.g. individualist versus
collectivist culturescollectivist cultures
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Cultural VariationsCultural Variations
Urban Overload Hypothesis (Milgram, Urban Overload Hypothesis (Milgram, 1970)1970) People who live in cities are exposed to high People who live in cities are exposed to high
levels of environmental stimulationlevels of environmental stimulation They develop strategies to cut out excessive They develop strategies to cut out excessive
stimulationstimulation One such strategy is to avoid interactions with One such strategy is to avoid interactions with
strangers – this leads to a reduction in helping strangers – this leads to a reduction in helping behaviour in some situationsbehaviour in some situations
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Cultural VariationsCultural Variations
Individualist versus collectivistIndividualist versus collectivist Members of collectivist cultures tend to prioritise the Members of collectivist cultures tend to prioritise the
interests of the group over self-interestinterests of the group over self-interest
Norms of reciprocityNorms of reciprocity Help may be given in the expectation that it will be Help may be given in the expectation that it will be
‘paid back’ at a future date‘paid back’ at a future date
Helping behaviour may be more apparent in Helping behaviour may be more apparent in non-Western societies – but it does not follow non-Western societies – but it does not follow that that altruismaltruism is higher is higher
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