Psychology Year 2 Note:2

Altruism

The Selfish Gene Theory (1976)

Schaller and Cialdini (1988)  Negative-State Model 

 

Prosocial

Miller et al (1990)

Contrast two theories explaining Altruism 

Kin Selection Theory  

Focus more on biological reasons that re solely egotistical behind artistic actions and may explain altrisitic behaviour within relatives but not strangers 

     -Individual are more likely to sacrifice for their blood relatives in order to ensure the survival of their genetic information 

Dawkin’s Selfish Gene Theory (1989) 

Simmons et al. (1977) Kidney donor [86%of parents said yes but only 47% of sibling who could be donors said yes]

Empathy - Altruism Theory 

Batson, 1981 

When a person observes someone else’s suffering, they can feel 2 types of emotions 

     Empathetic concern 

     Personal distress

Altruism 

Behaviour that benefits another person sometimes at some costs 

• In evolutionary biology, altruism is defined as behaviour that benefits other organisms but some costs. The costs and benefits are measured in terms of reproductive fitness
• A subcategory of helping behaviour, referring to a behaviour that is meant to benefit another person rather than oneself (Batson and Coke, 1981) 
• According to Staub (1978), altruistic acts may also result in reward

Prosocial Behaviour 

Behaviour that benefits others or has positive social consequences. 

• Refers to acts intended to benefit others. These are acts that are positively valued by society (Hogg and Vaughan, 1998) 
• Aggressiveness and violent behaviour are not valued by society 
• Any behaviour that is initiated with the purposed of increasing another person’s physical or psychological well-being and has positive consequences for that person 
• Intentional prosocial behaviour is often called “helping behaviour” 
  • ie. Donating money to refugees in Somalia, doing voluntary works