Introduction to Social Psychology Prosocial-Lecture Notes-Psychology, Study notes of Social Psychology

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Phineas Gage, 1849 Kitty Genovese, 1964

Kitty Genovese, 1964

“Oh my God! He stabbed me!” she screamed. “Please help me! Please help me!”

Actions toward others - Bystander Effect

Kitty Genovese 1964

“Oh my God! He stabbed me!” she screamed. “Please help me! Please help me!”

Bystander Effect

Latané & Darley’s “seizure study”

Five Essential Steps to Help in an Emergency

• Notice emergency “I’m late”
• Define as emergency “Probably a lover’s quarrel”
• Take responsibility “Someone else will do it”
• Decide a way to help “I don’t know CPR”
• Engage in helping “I might get sued”

Step taken to help: Help not given because:

* The simplest choice at each step is the path of least resistance.

… IT SEEMS LIKE WE

OFTEN HAVE A REASON

OR AN EXCUSE THAT

REDUCES OUR DESIRE

TO CARRY OUT THESE

FIVE SIMPLE STEPS

Why Does Bystander Effect Occur?

• Ambiguity — “Is this really an emergency?”
• Pluralistic ignorance — “No one else is doing anything; I guess there’s no problem”
• Fear of looking foolish — “I don’t want to look stupid”
• Diffusion of responsibility — “Someone else will handle it”
• High intervention costs — “it’s dangerous; rather be safe” Note: bystander effect occurs less with friends as bystanders than strangers Big Cities Versus Small Towns … experience stimulus overload—best to screen out nonessential stimuli … experience a fast paced lifestyle, thus making one less likely to notice emergency … are more likely to concentrate on oneself … are rarely alone—greater chance to diffuse responsibility

As population density increases, helping decreases…

because in general, people in cities:

Why Do We Help? Social norms

• Reciprocity
• Social responsibility
• Gender norms Gender Differences in Helping
• Men help more than women when:
• Act is dangerous (heroic) requiring certain skills -- changing flat or overpowering attacker
• Person in need of help is a woman -- possible romantic / sexual motives
• Women help more than men when:
• Giving to charity
• Caring for friends, family, and others Who Will Help?

Personality Traits Religious faith

Effects of Mood on Helping

• Mood increases helping when:
  • Good mood stimulates positive thoughts and actions
  • Helping can improve bad mood (feel-bad, do-good)
• Mood decreases helping when:
  • Helping might spoil your good mood (unpleasant consequences such as embarrassment or danger)
  • Bad mood leads you to focus on yourself dependent on: specific situational factors, nature of help needed Situational Factors
• Helping increases if victim is:
• Attractive
• Similar to bystander (or nonstigmatized)
• Not perceived as responsible for their plight Note: exposure to prosocial models also increases helping
• Helping decreases if victim is:
• Unattractive
• Dissimilar to bystander
• Seen as responsible for their plight

When Will We Help?

• Number of Bystanders
  • Noticing
  • Interpreting
  • Assuming responsibility
• When someone else does
• Time Pressures
• Similarity © Robert Brenner/PhotoEdit

How can we increase helping?

• Assign responsibility
• Reduce ambiguity
• Increase societal rewards

Altruism

Actions designed to

help others… with no

benefit to the helper

“Altruistic Personality” (oi vay!)

Characteristics:

• High empathy — respond to another’s stress Affective —“feel” what other is feeling Cognitive —“understand” what other is feeling
• “Belief in a just world”— fair thing to do
• Socially responsible — each person has duty
• Internal locus of control — control over situation
• Lack egocentrism — not self-absorbed
• High generativity — concern for future generations

Motives for Volunteering

• Express personal values
• Understand the phenomenon
• Enhance one’s self-development
• Gain career-related experience
• Strengthen social relationships
• Address personal problems Note: People more likely to volunteer if appeals match their motives

Decision to volunteer is based on the need to: