PSYC 2310 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Collectivism, Murder Of Kitty Genovese, Prosocial Behavior
24 Jan 2014
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In one study by researchers at the university of british columbia, participants were asked to unscramble 10 five-word sentences. Evolutionary factors: according to the evolutionary perspective, people act this way when such behaviour will help ensure the survival of their genes, which can then be passed on. Men and women are more helpful in situations where helping is viewed as gender-role appropriate. In general, people increase in empathy and pro-social behaviour as they mature, but individuals also vary considerably in their frequency and types of helping: people who are generally altruistic share some common traits. First, they are high in empathy, meaning they tend to understand other people"s perspectives, and respond emotionally to other people"s experiences: empathy the ability to understand other people"s perspectives and respond emotionally other people"s experiences. In turn, people with higher levels of empathy engage in more pro-social behavior, including donating money to charitable causes and spending time helping people in need.
