Social Psychology: Altruism and Peacemaking

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Questions and Answers

What is altruism?

Unselfish regard for the welfare of others.

What is the bystander effect?

The tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present.

What factors increase the likelihood of helping someone?

When the person appears to need help, is similar to us, is a woman, when we observed someone else being helpful, when we are not in a hurry, in a small town, feeling guilty, focused on others, and in a good mood.

What does happiness breed?

Happiness breeds helpfulness. Signup and view all the answers

What is social exchange theory?

The theory that people help others when the benefits outweigh the costs. Signup and view all the answers

What is reciprocity norm?

The expectation that people will help those who have helped them. Signup and view all the answers

What is the social-responsibility norm?

That we should help those who need our help. Signup and view all the answers

What is conflict?

A perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas. Signup and view all the answers

What is social trap?

A situation where short-term solutions lead to long-term losses. Signup and view all the answers

What has social trap challenged us to find?

Ways to reconcile our rights to pursue personal well-being with our responsibility for the well-being of all. Signup and view all the answers

What are mirror-image perceptions?

Mutual views held by conflicting parties where each side sees itself as ethical and peaceful while viewing the other as evil and aggressive. Signup and view all the answers

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

A prediction that causes itself to come true due to the influence of the belief. Signup and view all the answers

Does it help to put two conflicting parties into close contact?

False Signup and view all the answers

What are superordinate goals?

Shared goals that require cooperation and override differences among people. Signup and view all the answers

What is GRIT?

A strategy designed to decrease international tensions through mutual recognition and small conciliatory acts. Signup and view all the answers

When are people most likely to help?

When they notice an incident, interpret it as an emergency, and assume responsibility for helping. Signup and view all the answers

How do social exchange theory and social norms explain helping behavior?

Social exchange theory focuses on self-interest while social norms involve guidelines for expected behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

How do social traps and mirror-image perceptions fuel social conflict?

Social traps lead to individual self-interest that harms collective well-being, while mirror-image perceptions exacerbate distrust and hostility. Signup and view all the answers

How can we transform feelings of prejudice, aggression, and conflict into attitudes that promote peace?

By working together to achieve superordinate goals through contact, cooperation, communication, and conciliation. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the best term or phrase for the unselfish concern for the welfare of others?

Altruism Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following maintains that our social behavior is an exchange process that minimizes costs?

Social exchange theory Signup and view all the answers

What do we call a situation in which the conflicting parties, by rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior?

Social trap Signup and view all the answers

What do we call a belief that leads to its own fulfillment?

Self-fulfilling prophecy Signup and view all the answers

According to Darley and Latané, what three things must happen for a bystander to intervene?

The bystander must notice the event, interpret it as an emergency, and assume responsibility. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two 'enemy perceptions' identified by the author?

Mirror-image perceptions and self-fulfilling prophecy. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Altruism

Defined as unselfish regard for the welfare of others, involving actions like volunteering or donating without personal gain.

Bystander Effect

Indicates that individuals are less likely to offer help in emergencies when others are present, counterintuitive to common expectations.

Factors Influencing Helping Behavior

Helping is more likely when:
- The person appears to need and deserve assistance.
- The victim is similar to the helper.
- The victim is female.
- The helper has witnessed others being helpful.
- The helper is not in a hurry.
- The incident occurs in a rural area.
- The helper feels guilty.
- The helper is in a positive mood.

Happiness and Helpfulness

There is a reciprocal relationship: happiness promotes helpful behavior, which in turn fosters more happiness.

Proposes that people help when the perceived benefits outweigh the costs, focusing on maximizing rewards and minimizing disadvantages.

Reciprocity Norm

Reflects the expectation that individuals will respond with help to those who have helped them, fostering mutual assistance.

Suggests a moral obligation to assist those who need help, particularly vulnerable individuals like children.

Conflict

Defined as a perceived incompatibility in actions, goals, or ideas between individuals or groups.

Refers to situations where short-term solutions lead to long-term detrimental effects, such as environmental degradation due to overexploitation.

Balancing Personal and Collective Well-being

Social traps encourage the need for cooperation and awareness of mutual responsibilities to enhance community welfare.

Mirror-Image Perceptions

Arise in conflicts where each side views itself as ethical and peaceful while seeing the opponent as evil and aggressive.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A prediction that comes true simply because it was made, often due to biased actions responding to the belief.

Contact and Conflict Resolution

Close contact between conflicting parties can be beneficial if it is noncompetitive and involves equal status individuals.

Superordinate Goals

Shared objectives that require cooperation to achieve, helping bridge differences and foster collaboration among opposing groups.

GRIT Strategy

Emphasizes initiating small, conciliatory acts to reduce tension between conflicting parties while maintaining strength.

Factors Affecting Helping Behavior Review

Help is most likely when one notices an incident, interprets it as an emergency, and feels responsible. Presence of other bystanders can impede help (bystander effect).

Social exchange theory emphasizes self-interest in helping behaviors, whereas social norms recognize learned social responsibilities like reciprocity and social responsibility.

Social traps and mirror-image perceptions intensify conflicts by fostering distrust and harmful self-interest among parties.

Promoting Peace

Peace is achievable through collective efforts toward superordinate goals, enhanced by processes of contact, cooperation, communication, and conciliation.

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Description

Explore key concepts in social psychology including altruism, the bystander effect, and conflict resolution. This quiz covers important definitions and examples to enhance your understanding of how individuals interact in social situations. Ideal for students studying social psychology.