Lecture notes
Lecture notes on Pro-sociality and Aggression
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- University Of The West Of England
Lectures notes for the lecture Pro-sociality and Aggression from the first year module Introduction to Psychology
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Intro to Psychology25/10/19 Pro-sociality & aggression
Pro-social behaviour
After 9/11, Frank de Martini and Pablo Ortiz helped rescue people on the 88 th floor where
they worked. They then led a group of people towards the crash zone and using a crowbar
and torch, they prised open doors and cleared rubble on 12 floors.
Their responsibilities were to get themselves out of the building, but instead they saved 70
lives. Sadly they lost their own lives when the tower collapsed.
The actions of de Martini and Ortiz are a powerful example of pro-social behaviour
Pro-social behaviour refers to actions that are generally valued by other people in a
particular society
Research on pro-social behaviour focuses on two types: helping and altruism.
Origins of pro-social behaviour
1. An evolutionary disposition
We are helpful in ways that increase the chances that our DNA will be passed
along to future generations (Burnstein et al., 1994)
Reciprocal altruism (Trivers, 1971) – we will survive if we help others. Helping
someone now might mean we are helped in the future
The genes for helping behaviour may be self-selected.
However…
- It doesn’t explain why we might help complete strangers. How does this increase our
chances of survival?
- Minimal evidence for evolutionary theories of pro-sociality; the processes cannot be
observed over an appropriate timescale in the lab
- Doesn’t explain why people help in some situations and not others (e.g. child
maltreatment).
2. Social norms
What is considered normal and accepted in a given group, culture or society.
Commonly held attitudes that influence how we behave
Reciprocity principle: we help others who help us (Gouldner, 1960). More
likely to reciprocate to another person if they previously made a big
unexpected sacrifice for us
Social responsibility: we have a responsibility to help others even if they
haven’t helped us. However, we may be selective and evaluate whether the
person has brought on this injustice themselves; just-world hypothesis
(Lerner & Miller, 1978).
, 3. Observational learning
We observe others and learn that helping people is a socially acceptable
thing and may even result in rewards (i.e. feeling good)
Social norm explanation focuses on processes that are internal to the
perceivers whereas observational learning refers to external processes.
According to Bandura’s (1972) social learning theory, observing the helping
behaviours of others should increase the likelihood that we help others.
Situational determinants of helping
Situational factors determine whether we help or not
A wealth of research has studied this by observing how we help in emergency
situations. When there is fear, anxiety, arousal…
Commonly referred to as the Bystander Effect.
The Bystander Effect
- This refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the number of people present,
the less likely people are to help a person in distress.
- When an emergency situation occurs, observers are more likely to take action if
there are few or no other witnesses.
The case of Kitty Genovese –
Coming home from her job as a bar manager in the early morning in 1964, Kitty
Genovese was approached by Winston Moseley and repeatedly stabbed near her
home in NYC
She was attacked 3 separate times and it took 35 minutes to kill her
Witnesses did nothing until after the ambulance left.
HOW WOULD YOU REACT?
Reaction Why?
Call the police - Right thing to do
- Call to be safe
- Absolutely necessary
- Care about safety
- Do same for me
- Not risking life
Probably wouldn’t notice - Mind own business
Go down and help - Absolutely necessary
- Do same for me
Shut blinds so perp wouldn’t see you – hide - Couldn’t come after you
and call the police
Do nothing - What’s going on?
- Fear
- Mind own business
- Not risking life
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