Altruism Definition

Distinguish between altruism and prosocial behaviour. • Pro-social behavior: behavior that benefits another person or has positive social consequences Definition is vague because it discusses the outcome but not the motivation e.g. When we offer sympathy to a friend that is upset or refrain from dropping scolding a person for doing something wrong. • Altruism: when one helps another person for no reward and even at some cost to oneself. It is a type of “helping behavior”(intentionally helps or benefits the other person) and the goal is to make a difference. (it can sometimes be thought to be a ‘heroic’ act)

Contrast two theories explaining altruism in humans.
Kin Altruism (it roots from the ‘evolutionary history’) • Prosocial
Then a female experimenter falls and cries out in the next room. In some groups there were confederates who did not react while in some groups they were alone • Results: Participants react more quickly when they were alone that when they are sitting next to a confederate who showed no reaction. Post experiment interviews revealed that participants felt anxious when they heard the scream but since others in the experiment room appeared calm, they assume that it is not an