altruism pro socialbehavior

7/27/2019 Altruism Pro Socialbehavior

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What is Altruism?

a motivational state with the goal of

increasing anothers welfare.

selfless helping.

Ex. Risking or losing ones life to save

another.


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Social psychologists are interested in

understanding why it occurs.

What inspires these acts of kindness?

What motivates people to risk their own

lives to save a complete stranger?

.


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Four major motives for Altruism:

altruism to ultimately benefit the self

(egoism)

to ultimately benefit the other person(altruism)

to benefit a group (collectivism)

to uphold a moral principle (principalism).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principlismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principlism


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Prosocial Behavior

Behaviors that can be described as

prosocial include feelings of empathy and

concern for others and behaving in ways tohelp or benefit other people.

Helping others

Donating time, effort, or moneyVolunteering

Cooperating rather than competing


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Why Prosocial Behavior exists:

Biological Reasons:Kin

selection - We may be

more altruistic towards

those we are related to

because it increases the

odds that our blood

relations will survives andtransmit their genes to

future generations.
http://psychology.about.com/od/kindex/g/kin_selection.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/kindex/g/kin_selection.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/kindex/g/kin_selection.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/kindex/g/kin_selection.htm


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Why Prosocial Behavior exists:

Neurological Reasons: Altruism activates

reward centers in the brain. Neurobiologists

have found that when engaged in an altruistic

act, the pleasure centers of the brain become

active.

Cognitive Reasons: We might help others to

relieve out own distress or because being kind toothers upholds our view of ourselves as kind,

empathetic people.


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Differences

Prosocial behaviors

Are actions or patterns of

behavior rather than

motivations.

Altruism

Is the motivation to do

charitable acts

A person gives an unmarked box of clothing to a shelter

anonymously.

The action of giving the box is the prosocial behavior.The person's motivation to give the box would be

altruism.


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Theory of Psychological Egoism

suggests that no act of sharing, helping or

sacrificing can be described as truly

altruistic, as the actor may receive anintrinsic reward in the form of

personal gratification.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsic


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Postulates that altruism only exists when

benefits outweigh costs.

Daniel Batson is a psychologist whoexamined this question and argues against

the social exchange theory.

Social Exchange Theory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Batsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Batson


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The Bystander Effect

refers to cases in which individuals do not

offer any means of help to a victim when

other people are present.


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http://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/w

hat-is-altruism.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism#Psychology

http://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/p

rosocial-behavior.htm http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definiti

on.php?term=Prosocial%20Behavior

Reference
http://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruismhttp://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/prosocial-behavior.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/prosocial-behavior.htmhttp://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Prosocial%20Behaviorhttp://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Prosocial%20Behaviorhttp://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Prosocial%20Behaviorhttp://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Prosocial%20Behaviorhttp://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/prosocial-behavior.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/prosocial-behavior.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/prosocial-behavior.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/pindex/g/prosocial-behavior.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruismhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htmhttp://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htm

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