Helping Behavior

Nadeem Qasmi

Helping Behavior:

Refers to voluntary action intended to help the other with reward regarded or disregarded.

Key concept:

Altruism Prosocial behavior

Altruism:

Helping another person with no expectation of receiving a reward.

Prosocial Behavior:Behavior that helps others regardless of the helper’s motive.

Why do we help? (Reasons)

Social norms Sociobiology Social Exchange Empathy and Altruism Similarity

Social Norms:

Two basic social norms are common in human societies.

1) Norm of reciprocity

2) Norm of social responsibility

Norm of Reciprocity:

Social rule that we are obligated to help those who help us.

“if you don’t go somebody’s funeral, they won’t come to yours” (yogi Berra)

(e.g. if we help someone, he / she will help in return)

Norm of social responsibility

Social rule that we should help those who depend on us.

(e.g. parents care for their children, teachers guide student)

Social Exchange:

Social exchange theory :The theory that social relationships are best

understood by people’s desire to maximize their benefits and minimize their cost.

To obtain recognition and positive feedback at low cost

“man do not value a good deed unless it brings a reward”

(Ovid, Epistulae ex ponto)

Sociobiology:

Instinct and Genes

Empathy and Altruism:

The Pure Motive for Helping

Empathy – Altruism Hypothesis

The theory holding that when we feel empathy for a person, we will attempt to

help him or her, regardless of what we have to gain

Similarity

We are more likely to help to people who are similar to us

than dissimilar

Reducing Guilt Feeling:

The idea that good deeds, cancel bad deeds.

Relive their Own Sadness & Distress:Help someone else with the goal of helping self

Why Do Some People Help More Than Others?

The Effect of Mood on Helping: Feel Good , Do Good

Closeness : more likely to help those we know

“it’s curious how, when you’re in love, you yearn to go about doing acts of kindness to everybody.

(P.G Wodehouse, the mating season ,1949)

When will we help? What circumstances prompt people to help, or not to help?

No

yes

No

yes

yes

No

NO help

NO help

NO help

Try to help

Interpret as emergency?

Assume responsibility?

Notice the incident?

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK:

M’aam&

Whole class

FROM GROUP 4:

Nadeem Qasmi