Prosocial behaviour

Voluntary behaviour intended to benefit other people for example helping, sharing, comforting, attending to others. 

Altruism: deliberate pursuit of the welfare of others. Altruism is self-less whereas people may engage in prosocial behaviour for selfish reasons. 

Japanese earthquake: Japanese mafia helped out, two of the largest crime groups went into action, opening their offices to help those stranded, shipping out food, water and blankets. 

Culture? Collectivism is largely about working together and helping the group interdependent self, putting others before themselves. 

Seeing that someone is in distress and not helping. An example is the case study of Kitty Genoveve, 38 witnesses stood and watched as Kitty was murdered, none of them called the police or went to help her. 

Witnesses were looking to see what others were doing. There was a diffusion of responsibility as they thought it was not their responsibility and someone else would intervene. 

Darley & Latane (1968)

Diffusion of responsibility = The more bystanders there are, the less likley anyone will step forward to help. 

Pluralistic ignorance = If one person sees that others are not doing anything, they may conclude that it is not an emergency and that help is not required. People want to avoid looking foolish or medalling. 

Levine (2003): 

36 American cities, 23 international cities

5 types of experiments to test prosocial behaviour across cultures: dropped pen, hurt leg, help someone cross a road who was blind, change for a quarter, lost letter. 

There was a cultural flaw however as not all of the behaviours translated well cross culturally, one culture 'change for a quarter' one individual was not willing due to running the risk of being robbed. 

They found that USA, negative correlation between population density and helping behaviour. Greater population densiity the less likley the helping behaviour. Population density may encourage diffusion of responsibility. 

Prosociality highest in Latin cultures, social harmony and history of socialism.

Internationally, helping behaviour was related to lower economic output, slower pace of life whereas richer countries are always trying to make more money, faster pace of life. 

Therefore, the slower the pace of life requires more urgent need and more helping behaviour occurs. This may be because due to the slow pace of life and lower economic output that is shared people of that culture understand the struggle and need for help. 

Collectivism and interdependence was related to helping behaviour. But prosocial behaviour targeted at in-group members. May not extend to outgroup members. 

Prosocial behaviour is more likely to occur in a culture with high social capital.

Social capital = connections among individuals, social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them.

It is the glue that holds societies together. 

Opposite of disenfranchisement and social cynicism that society is corrup, neighbours cannot be trusted, government is not fair. 

-Honesty and trust between citizens 

- Civic engagement 

- High quality interactions between citizens 

- Participation in elections

- Participation in volunteer organisations

Social capital encourages well-being and prosocial behaviour among individuals.

Social capital is positively correlated with physical health and longer life.

Negatively correlated with health risk behaviour, smoking and drug abuse.

Positively associated with willingness to give to charity.

Related to giving more meaning in life, identity, purpose best predictors in mental and physical health. 

When people are not obligated to maintain social bonds they often form these bonds voluntarily. 

Evolved need to belong

Oyserman et al (2002) Americans higher in collectivism than Japanese when it is defined as a sense of belonging. 

Americans lower in collectivism when it is defined as a duty to in-groups. 

They have an innate sense of belonging and when helping is voluntary they are willing to help as it is their choice, and they may also do so to be different from everyone. 

Familism =

Strong duty to one's family, high duty to the ingroup collectivism, interdependent self, family comes first, devoted to their family. 

Institutional Collectivism = 

Sense of duty to one's community, voluntary collectivism, greater social and satisfies the need to belong. 

Radius of trust = the radius of trust is a measure of social capital. How many people can you trust? 

Familism = self, kinship, friends

Institutional collectivism = generalised other, high trust in strangers

Results:

Social capital, interpersonal trust and volunteering. 

Familism negatively correlated with social capital, They were more likley to help in-group, family members. 

Institutional collectivism positively correlated with social capital. other people are good and can be trusted. 

Highest in Latin America, Africa, East Asia.

Lowest in northern and western Europe. 

Highest in Denmark, USA, Ireland and Canada

USA had twice as much volunteerism

More than 5 times as much as the UK, inspite of similar GDP, trust, familism and institutional collectivism. 

Highest in Denmark, USA, Ireland and Canada

USA had twice as much volunteerism

More than 5 times as much as the UK, inspite of similar GDP, trust, familism and institutional collectivism.