PSYC 351 Lecture 12: Ch 12 Helping and Altruism
Helping and Altruism
Why do people help one another?
• Exchange Perspective
• Evolutionary Perspective
• Social Norm Perspective
Social Exchange Theory
− We maximize our rewards and minimize our costs
• External Rewards: Can increase likelihood of being helped or make us look good/not
look bad
• Internal Rewards: Can relieve our distress or make us feel good
• Costs of helping and costs of not helping
− Help when rewards higher than costs
More on Internal Rewards
− Relieve Distress
− Relieve Guilt
− Relieve Negative Mood
− Relieve Anger – Nope
− Relieve Grief – Not generally
What about people in good moods?
− People who are feeling good are usually thinking positively and are more inclined to act
positively.
− Helping when in a good mood preserves good mood.
Evolutionary Psychology
− Kin Selection
• Helping those genetically related to us helps ensure survival of our genes
− Reciprocity
• Helping others increases the likelihood that they will help us in the future
Social Norms
Document Summary
Why do people help one another: exchange perspective, evolutionary perspective, social norm perspective. We maximize our rewards and minimize our costs: external rewards: can increase likelihood of being helped or make us look good/not look bad. Internal rewards: can relieve our distress or make us feel good: costs of helping and costs of not helping. People who are feeling good are usually thinking positively and are more inclined to act positively. Helping when in a good mood preserves good mood. Kin selection: helping those genetically related to us helps ensure survival of our genes. Reciprocity: helping others increases the likelihood that they will help us in the future. Social responsibility norm help those who need help. Acting out of selfless concern for another. Empathy: the ability to put oneself in the shoes of another person and to experience events and emotions the way that person experiences them.
