Prosocial Behavior

Study Notes

Prosocial behavior: voluntary actions intended to benefit others, such as helping, sharing, and cooperating.
Also known as altruistic behavior, as it involves sacrificing one's own interests for the benefit of others.

Helping: providing assistance to others in need, such as lending a hand or offering emotional support.
Sharing: distributing resources, such as food, money, or time, to benefit others.
Cooperating: working together with others to achieve a common goal.
Donating: giving resources, such as blood, organs, or money, to help others.
Volunteering: dedicating time and effort to help others, often through organized activities.

Empathy-altruism hypothesis: helping others because of genuine concern for their welfare.
Empathic concern theory: helping others because of feelings of empathy and compassion.
Social exchange theory: helping others because of expected rewards or reciprocity.
Kin selection theory: helping genetic relatives to increase the chances of survival of one's genes.

Altruistic personality: individuals with a strong tendency to help others.
Empathy: ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
Moral identity: individuals who strongly identify with moral values are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior.
Social norms: cultural and social expectations can influence prosocial behavior.
Environmental factors: situational factors, such as witnessing others helping, can increase prosocial behavior.

Increased well-being: engaging in prosocial behavior can increase feelings of happiness and life satisfaction.
Improved social connections: prosocial behavior can strengthen social bonds and relationships.
Reduced stress: helping others can reduce stress and anxiety.
Increased sense of purpose: prosocial behavior can provide a sense of meaning and purpose.

Prosocial behavior involves voluntary actions intended to benefit others, often at the expense of one's own interests.

Helping: providing assistance to others in need, such as lending a hand or offering emotional support.
Sharing: distributing resources, like food, money, or time, to benefit others.
Cooperating: working together with others to achieve a common goal.
Donating: giving resources, like blood, organs, or money, to help others.
Volunteering: dedicating time and effort to help others, often through organized activities.

Empathy-altruism hypothesis: helping others due to genuine concern for their welfare.
Empathic concern theory: helping others because of feelings of empathy and compassion.
Social exchange theory: helping others because of expected rewards or reciprocity.
Kin selection theory: helping genetic relatives to increase the chances of survival of one's genes.

Altruistic personality: individuals with a strong tendency to help others.
Empathy: ability to understand and share the feelings of others.
Moral identity: individuals who strongly identify with moral values are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior.
Social norms: cultural and social expectations can influence prosocial behavior.
Environmental factors: situational factors, such as witnessing others helping, can increase prosocial behavior.

Increased well-being: engaging in prosocial behavior can increase feelings of happiness and life satisfaction.
Improved social connections: prosocial behavior can strengthen social bonds and relationships.
Reduced stress: helping others can reduce stress and anxiety.
Increased sense of purpose: prosocial behavior can provide a sense of meaning and purpose.