Anti-Social Behaviour

• These are behaviours that harm or lack consideration for the well-being of others.
• Typically involves actions that break laws, rules or social norms
• There are five factors that influence anti-social behaviour:

  • Diffusion of Responsibility
  • Audience Inhibition
  • Social Influence
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Groupthink
• Diffusion of Responsibility

  • Belief that in a situation where help is required and others are present that one or more other people will or should take responsibility for helping.
  • Leads each individual to feel less responsible for helping than when alone because they assume someone else will take on the responsibility of helping.
  • Explains why no one helps when many people are present in a situation where help is required
• Audience Inhibition

  • This occurs when people do not take action to help others in an emergency situation.
  • In this case it is because they are afraid of being embarrassed or criticised for their actions.
• Social Influence

  • More likely to act if your role models or high ranking peers do.
  • We use others behaviour as a guide for our own.
  • “If no one else is doing anything then why should I?”
• Cost-Benefit Analysis

  • Weighing up personal and social costs of helping against the benefits of helping
  • BENEFITS = Rewards: monetary reward, feeling good, increased self esteem or social approval (cheers from crowds) or thrill of making evening news
  • COSTS = effort and time required, risks such as personal injury
  • Eg giving a friend a kidney
• Groupthink

  • This is where a group of people make non-optimal decisions.
  • This is caused by a belief that either there is no option for alternative decisions or an urge to conform to the rest of the group.
  • This can lead to people ignoring ethical or moral consequences.
  • Situations that require quick answers or where questions are punished lead to groupthink.
• Bystander Effect

  
• What is the term used to describe the phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when other people are present?

  Bystander Effect
• What factors increase the likelihood of helping behavior in emergency situations?

  • The person appears to need and deserve help
  • The person is similar to us
  • The person is a woman
  • We have observed someone else being helpful
  • We are not in a hurry
  • We are in a small town or rural area
  • We are feeling guilty
  • We are focused on others and not preoccupied
  • We are in a good mood
• According to Carlson et al. (1988), what is one factor that increases the likelihood of helping someone?

  The person appears to need and deserve help
• What similarity factor can influence helping behavior according to the study?

  The person is in some way similar to us
• Which gender is mentioned as a factor that may increase the likelihood of receiving help?

  The person is a woman
• How does observing someone else being helpful affect our likelihood to help?

  It increases our likelihood to help
• What effect does being in a hurry have on helping behavior?

  It decreases the likelihood of helping
• In what type of area is helping behavior more likely to occur?

  In a small town or rural area
• How does feeling guilty influence our willingness to help others?


  It increases our willingness to help
• What is the impact of being focused on others on helping behavior?


  It increases the likelihood of helping
• How does being in a good mood affect our likelihood to help others?


  It increases our likelihood to help