Psychology 2070A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Inclusive Fitness, Egotism, Cooperativeness

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2070A/B
• Professor: James Olson

Document Summary

Prosocial behaviour any action that provides benefit to others. 3 major dimensions of helpful behaviours: planned/formal vs. spontaneous/informal, seriousness, giving what you have vs. Egoistic motivation helping in order to obtain reward or avoid punishment (minimize distress) Altruistic motivation helping purely for the sake of providing benefit. Inclusive fitness behaviours that increase the survival of our genes will be favoured through evolution. Systems of cooperation individuals may give help at one time but receive help at another time. Empathy to empathize: more likely to empathize with those who are similar to us. Empathy-altruism hypothesis feels of empathy for a person can lead to behaviour that is aimed at helping that person. Elaine experiment altruism vs. egoism: easy escape + high empathy shows high altruistic motivation. High empathy: cialdini proposed even high empathy participants in easy escape were trying to reduce their own distress, when participants given money reduced distress no longer needed to help elaine since no more distress.