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Gaining

rewards,
avoiding
punishment

Theories

Why do
we
help?

ALTRUISM

Evolutionary
psychology

Social Exchange and Social Norms


Social exchange theory
Rewards
Internal rewards
Guilt
Exceptions to the feel bad-do good scenario
Feel good, do good

Social norms
The reciprocity norm.
The social
responsibility norm.
Gender and receiving
help.

Evolutionary psychology
Kin protection
Reciprocity

ALTRUISM - A motive to increase anothers


welfare without conscious regard for oneself

interests.
EMPATHY An emotion evoked by sympathy
for another

Number of Bystanders

Helping when someone else does

When will we help?

Time pressures

Similarity

The finding that a


person is likely to provide help when there are
other bystanders.
Number of Bystanders
Noticing
Interpreting
Assuming responsibility

Personality
traits

Religious
Faith

Who will help ?

PERSONALITY TRAITS
(1) Individual differences

(2) Network of traits


(3) Particular situations

PERSONALITY TRAITS
Mother Teresa

Founded the Missionaries of Charity, an


order of nuns, to help those who are
starving and sick.
Centered in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta),
India, one of the most densely populated
cities in the world, the organization also
helps impoverished children.
After four decades of service to the poor,
Mother Teresa stepped down from her role
as administrator of the order in 1990.
She was awarded the NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE in 1979.

RELIGIOUS FAITH
Religious faith predicts long-

term

altruism,

as

reflected

volunteerism and charitable


contributions.

in

Reduce ambiguity, increase responsibility


Guilt and concern for self-image

A strategy for gaining a concession. After


someone first turns dozen a large request (the
door- in-the-face- technique), the same requester
counteroffers with a more reasonable request.

Teaching moral inclusion


- omitting certain people from ones of moral concern.
Modeling altruism
Learning by doing
Attributing helpful behavior to altruistic motives

undermining
intrinsic motivation by bribing people to do what they already
like doing they may then see their action as externally
controlled rather than intrinsically appealing.

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