Psychology of Altruism and Helping Behaviors

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary goal of altruism?

To make oneself feel better

To increase another’s welfare regardless of consequences (correct)

To ensure reciprocal helping

To improve one’s own welfare

Self-focused helping is characterized by the goal to increase another's welfare.

False

What is empathic concern in the context of helping behaviors?

Identifying with another person and intending to help them in need.

In the concept of ________, we help those who share a high proportion of genes.

kin selection Signup and view all the answers

Match the following concepts with their descriptions:

Egoism = Goal to increase one's own welfare Reciprocity = Helping those that help us back Negative state relief = Helping others to alleviate our own distress Social exchange theory = Calculating costs and benefits of helping Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a psychological response to stress?

Hypertension Signup and view all the answers

Coping with stress can be solely emotion-focused.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of having a sense of control in stressful situations?

It benefits overall health and well-being. Signup and view all the answers

Inadequate social support can be as dangerous as _______.

smoking Signup and view all the answers

Match the type of stress with its example:

Psychological Stress = Anxiety Physical Stress = Intense Exercise Emotional Stress = Loneliness Behavioral Stress = Aggression Signup and view all the answers

Which stress mediator involves viewing stressful situations from a third person perspective?

Self-distancing Signup and view all the answers

Seeing stress as detrimental always has a negative impact on health.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of shaping stressors as challenges rather than threats?

It makes stressors less taxing. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors can affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Confidence level of the witness Signup and view all the answers

Disguises have no effect on the identification process in police lineups.

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the 'voir dire' process in jury selection?

To exclude jurors based on their potential bias. Signup and view all the answers

Theories of punishment include retribution, rehabilitation, deterrence, and ______.

incapacitation Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms with their definitions:

Retribution = Punishment as a response to crime Rehabilitation = Restoring a convicted person to a constructive place in society Deterrence = Discouraging criminal behavior through fear of punishment Incapacitation = Limiting a person's ability to commit further crimes Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding experts in legal cases?

Expert testimony may be influenced by the speaker's credibility. Signup and view all the answers

False confessions can arise from coercive police practices.

True Signup and view all the answers

What does 'de facto' segregation refer to?

Segregation that results from social or economic conditions rather than legal requirements. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Altruism

Altruism is a goal to increase another's well-being, regardless of the consequences for the helper (including benefits to oneself).
Egoism is a goal to increase one's own welfare, regardless of the impact on others.

Other-Focused Helping

Empathy concern is identifying with another person and understanding the person's experience, with the intention to help.
Kin selection is helping those who share high proportions of genes.
Reciprocity is helping those who have helped us in the past.
Social exchange theory is calculating the costs and benefits of helping.
Negative state relief is helping others to feel better, reducing negative affect in oneself.

Why Don't We Help?

Bystander Intervention Model (Latane & Darley): Helping requires several steps: noticing an event, interpreting it as an emergency, taking responsibility for helping, deciding how to help, and providing help.
Obstacles to helping: Audience inhibition (fear of appearing foolish), costs exceeding rewards, lack of competence, ambiguity (unclear if an emergency), diffusion of responsibility (feeling others will take action), relationship between attacker and victim, pluralistic ignorance (assuming others have a different interpretation of the situation), distraction, self-concerns.

Mindset

Incremental (Growth) Mindset: Intelligence can change through effort and experience; it's malleable and can be improved. It promotes persistence in the face of challenges.
Entity (Fixed) Mindset: Intelligence is determined by genetics; either you have it or you don't.

Health

Genetic factors, socioeconomic status (SES), country of residence, quality of healthcare, and nutrition influence health outcomes.
Race significantly affects health outcomes, creating gaps due to inequitable community conditions. Factors like socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, education, and environmental conditions lead to disparities in health indicators across different racial groups.

Stress and Stressors

Physical Stress: Malnutrition, Sleep deprivation, Intense exercise, Injury/illness, Dehydration, and Climate.
Psychological Stress: Anxiety, "Fight-or-Flight", Relationship difficulties, Loneliness, and Pressure to succeed.
Psychological Responses: Emotional responses (irritability, restlessness, anxiety), behavioral responses (escape, aggression), and cognitive responses (rumination, intrusive thoughts, catastrophizing).

Stress Mediators

Predictability: Predictable stressors are less harmful than unpredictable ones.
Sense of Control: Having a sense of mastery over life outcomes improves overall health.
Optimism: Positive outlook enhances health and well-being.
Social Support: Support systems have a positive influence on health, similar to positive lifestyle choices.

De-stressing

Construal of stressors: Perceiving stressors as challenges instead of threats reduces their impact.
Construal of stress: Viewing stress as helpful can mitigate negative effects on health.

The U.S. Legal System

Identifying perpetrators: Eyewitness testimony can be problematic due to memory issues, confidence not equating to accuracy, difficulties identifying people of different races, and the impact of priming/subconscious cues from investigating officers.
Guilt and innocence: Jury selection procedures (voir dire), issues with biased jury selection, theories of punishment (retribution, rehabilitation, deterrence, incapacitation), potential for false confessions due to coercion during police interrogations, recovered memories.
Trial process: Expert witnesses can offer testimony on various subjects such as psychological, medical, or forensic matters. The weight of this testimony depends on factors like speaker credibility and message structure.
The US Supreme Court & Federal Government: Disparities in how discrimination is weighed in legal cases and whether framing a question narrowly or broadly might alter the result of a case and impact its legal interpretation or outcomes. The reliance on historical precedent can also influence interpretations of law (e.g., confirmation bias).

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Description

Explore the dynamics of altruism and the various factors that influence helping behaviors in this quiz. Delve into concepts like empathy, kin selection, and the barriers to intervention, as well as the intricacies of social exchange theory. Test your understanding of why people choose to help or not help others in need.