Social Factors in Prosocial Behaviour

• What are social factors in psychology?

  External stimuli influencing behavior
• How does the presence of others affect helping behavior?

  It influences the type and degree of help offered
• What is an example of prosocial behavior?

  Helping someone in need
• What is the assumption about help during emergencies with many people present?

  Help is more likely to be given
• What is the bystander effect?

  Help is less likely with many bystanders
• What did Latane & Darley (1968) study?

  The bystander effect using smoke in a room
• What percentage of participants reported smoke when in a group?

  10%
• What percentage of participants reported smoke when alone?

  75%
• Why do people in groups often do nothing in emergencies?

  They look to others for guidance
• What is bystander apathy?

  Doing nothing to help someone in need
• What are the costs associated with helping someone in need?

  • Being late for work/appointments
  • Perceived as overreacting
  • Potential embarrassment if not a real emergency
  • Risk of victim attacking or being unpleasant
  • Going out of your way to help
• What are the costs of not helping someone in need?

  • Feeling guilty for inaction
  • Social disapproval from others
  • Risk of victim becoming unwell or dying
  • Negative impact on self-image and potential depression
• What did Darley & Batson (1973) study?

  Helping behavior in priest trainees
• What percentage of participants in a hurry helped a man in need?

  10%
• What percentage of participants in a low hurry condition helped?

  63%
• What are the strengths of research on bystander apathy?

  • Strong support from 1960s and 70s research
  • Useful for real-world applications
  • Helps in understanding emergency evacuations
• What are the weaknesses of the bystander apathy theory?

  • Does not explain helping behavior in groups
  • Ethical concerns in stressful research situations