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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