Prosocial behaviors are those intended to help other people.
Prosocial
behaviors
are
those
intended
to
help
other
people
.
Behaviors that can be described as pro social include feeling empathy and concern for others and behaving in ways to help or benefit other people.
Behaviors
that
can
be
described
as
pro
social
include
feeling
empathy
and
concern
for
others
and
behaving
in
ways
to
help
or
benefit
other
people
.
Prosocial behavior has long posed a challenge to social scientists seeking to understand why people engage in helping behaviors that are beneficial to others, but costly to the individual performing the action.
Prosocial
behavior
has
long
posed
a
challenge
to
social
scientists
seeking
to
understand
why
people
engage
in
helping
behaviors
that
are
beneficial
to
others
,
but
costly
to
the
individual
performing
the
action
.
Why would people do something that benefits someone else but offers no immediate benefit to the doer?
Why
would
people
do
something
that
benefits
someone
else
but
offers
no
immediate
benefit
to
the
doer
?
Psychologists suggest that there are a number of reasons why people engage in pro social behavior.
Psychologists
suggest
that
there
are
a
number
of
reasons
why
people
engage
in
pro
social
behavior
.
In many cases, such behaviors are fostered during childhood and adolescence as adults encourage children to share, act kindly, and help others.
In
many
cases
,
such
behaviors
are
fostered
during
childhood
and
adolescence
as
adults
encourage
children
to
share
,
act
kindly
,
and
help
others
.
Prosocial behaviors are often seen as being compelled by a number of factors including egoistic reasons (doing things to improve one's self-image), reciprocal benefits (doing something nice for someone so that they may one day return the favor), and more altruistic reasons (performing actions purely out of empathy for another individual).
Prosocial
behaviors
are
often
seen
as
being
compelled
by
a
number
of
factors
including
egoistic
reasons
(
doing
things
to
improve
one
's
self-image
)
,
reciprocal
benefits
(
doing
something
nice
for
someone
so
that
they
may
one
day
return
the
favor
)
,
and
more
altruistic
reasons
(
performing
actions
purely
out
of
empathy
for
another
individual
)
.
Characteristics of the situation can also have a powerful impact on whether or not people engage in pro social actions.
Characteristics
of
the
situation
can
also
have
a
powerful
impact
on
whether
or
not
people
engage
in
pro
social
actions
.
The bystander effect is one of the most notable examples of how the situation can impact helping behaviors.
The
bystander
effect
is
one
of
the
most
notable
examples
of
how
the
situation
can
impact
helping
behaviors
.
The bystander effect refers to the tendency for people to become less likely to assist a person in when there are a number of other people also present.
The
bystander
effect
refers
to
the
tendency
for
people
to
become
less
likely
to
assist
a
person
in
when
there
are
a
number
of
other
people
also
present
.
For example, if you drop your purse and several items fall out on the ground, the likelihood that someone will stop and help you decreases if there are many other people present.
For
example
,
if
you
drop
your
purse
and
several
items
fall
out
on
the
ground
,
the
likelihood
that
someone
will
stop
and
help
you
decreases
if
there
are
many
other
people
present
.
This same sort of thing can happen in cases where someone is in serious danger, such as when someone is involved in a car accident.
This
same
sort
of
thing
can
happen
in
cases
where
someone
is
in
serious
danger
,
such
as
when
someone
is
involved
in
a
car
accident
.
In some cases, witnesses might assume that since there are so many other people present, someone else will have surely already called for help.
In
some
cases
,
witnesses
might
assume
that
since
there
are
so
many
other
people
present
,
someone
else
will
have
surely
already
called
for
help
.
Why do people help in some situations but not in others? Experts have discovered a number of different situational variables that contribute to (and sometimes interfere with) pro social behaviors.
Why
do
people
help
in
some
situations
but
not
in
others
?
Experts
have
discovered
a
number
of
different
situational
variables
that
contribute
to
(
and
sometimes
interfere
with
)
pro
social
behaviors
.
First, the more people that are present decreases the amount of personal responsibility people feel in a situation.
First
,
the
more
people
that
are
present
decreases
the
amount
of
personal
responsibility
people
feel
in
a
situation
.
People also tend to look to others for how to respond in such situations, particularly if the event contains some level of ambiguity.
People
also
tend
to
look
to
others
for
how
to
respond
in
such
situations
,
particularly
if
the
event
contains
some
level
of
ambiguity
.
Fear of being judged by other members of the group also plays a role.
Fear
of
being
judged
by
other
members
of
the
group
also
plays
a
role
.
People sometimes fear leaping to assistance, only to discover that their help was unwanted or unwarranted.
People
sometimes
fear
leaping
to
assistance
,
only
to
discover
that
their
help
was
unwanted
or
unwarranted
.
In order to avoid being judged by other bystanders, people simply take no action.
In
order
to
avoid
being
judged
by
other
bystanders
,
people
simply
take
no
action
.
Experts have suggested that some key things must happen in order for a person to take action.
Experts
have
suggested
that
some
key
things
must
happen
in
order
for
a
person
to
take
action
.
Prosocial behaviors are those intended to help other people. Behaviors that can be described as pro social include feeling empathy and concern for others and behaving in ways to help or benefit other people.  Prosocial behavior has long posed a challenge to social scientists seeking to understand why people engage in helping behaviors that are beneficial to others, but costly to the individual performing the action. Why would people do something that benefits someone else but offers no immediate benefit to the doer?  Psychologists suggest that there are a number of reasons why people engage in pro social behavior. In many cases, such behaviors are fostered during childhood and adolescence as adults encourage children to share, act kindly, and help others. Prosocial behaviors are often seen as being compelled by a number of factors including egoistic reasons (doing things to improve one's self-image), reciprocal benefits (doing something nice for someone so that they may one day return the favor), and more altruistic reasons (performing actions purely out of empathy for another individual).  Characteristics of the situation can also have a powerful impact on whether or not people engage in pro social actions. The bystander effect is one of the most notable examples of how the situation can impact helping behaviors. The bystander effect refers to the tendency for people to become less likely to assist a person in when there are a number of other people also present. For example, if you drop your purse and several items fall out on the ground, the likelihood that someone will stop and help you decreases if there are many other people present. This same sort of thing can happen in cases where someone is in serious danger, such as when someone is involved in a car accident. In some cases, witnesses might assume that since there are so many other people present, someone else will have surely already called for help.  Why do people help in some situations but not in others? Experts have discovered a number of different situational variables that contribute to (and sometimes interfere with) pro social behaviors. First, the more people that are present decreases the amount of personal responsibility people feel in a situation. People also tend to look to others for how to respond in such situations, particularly if the event contains some level of ambiguity. Fear of being judged by other members of the group also plays a role. People sometimes fear leaping to assistance, only to discover that their help was unwanted or unwarranted. In order to avoid being judged by other bystanders, people simply take no action.  Experts have suggested that some key things must happen in order for a person to take action.