Altruism - Psychological Studies

Empathy Altruism Hypothesis (Shaw and Batson)

• Emphasises need for pluralistic account of human motivation
• Altruism and egoism defined in terms of ultimate goals
• Ultimate goal  -- end in itself, not just instrumental
• Altruism not necessarily associated with self-sacrifice

Empathy

• Attempt to imagine other person's perspective
• Produces certain emotions 

Batson and Shaw's model of empathy-evoked altruism:

Adoption of other's perspective ---> Vicarious emotional response (empathy) ---> altruistic motivation to reduce other's needs ---> Relative benefit analysis of helping ---> Help/Don't help

Egoism, conversely, associated with aversive arousal reduction, reward, punishment....

…