L33 Psych 315 Lecture Notes - Lecture 22: Empathic Concern, Edward B. Titchener, Neutral Nation
Document Summary
Prosocial -- something you do to try to help somebody else. Something you do to help somebody else that you gain nothing from. Improve basic welfare -- gaining genetic and material benefits. Insight into the evolution of help -- survival of the fittest to the point of reproduction. Inclusive fitness: the survival of one"s genes in one"s own offspring and in any relative one helps. Protect your kin because then your genes can be propagated. Helping that occurs in return for prior help. Help someone because they have helped you in the past. In a study, participants indicated whether they would help certain others in a wide variety of situations. Their willingness to help closely reflected their genetic relatedness to the others. High to low: parents, grandparents, first cousins, attractive strangers. Instilled beliefs -- learn whether or not you should help somebody. Darley & latane seizure study -- diffusion of responsibility -- there are lots.
