prosocial, reciprocity, bystander

• Prosocial behaviour


  Helping behaviour that benefits other people and society in general
• Prosocial behaviour

  • Usually voluntary because it is intended to benefit others
  • Can be an automatic response to an immediate situation or it can be deliberate and occur over time
• Explanations for prosocial behaviour

  • Biological (nature)
  • Environmental (nurture)
  • Nature and nurture
• Biological (nature)


  Genetic - keep people safe
• Environmental (nurture)


  Not innate, classical and operant conditioning
• Nature and nurture

  Might be born with an innate tendency to help others, exactly how we help is the product of social learning
• Factors that influence prosocial behaviour

  • The situation (characteristics of the situation)
  • Social norms
  • Personal characteristics of the helper)
  • Altruism (selfless concern for the well-being of others)
• Social norms

  A form of action or behaviour that is standardised and expected in a society, learnt and provide a background for human social interaction
• Reciprocity principle

  The social expectation that you will respond in kind to someone who has helped you or done you a favour
• Social responsibility


  The expectation that members of a society will provide help to people who are dependent or in need, without the expectation of favours being returned
• Personal characteristics that influence prosocial behaviour


  • Empathy
  • Mood
  • Competence
  • Altruism
• Bystander intervention


  Act of a person voluntarily helping.
• Antisocial behaviour


  Behaviour that is harmful to others, and ultimately, to the community (e.g. Prejudice, aggression).
• Why engage in antisocial behaviour?

  • Biologically (Nature)
  • Environmentally (Nurture)
• Biologically (Nature)


  • Can be seen as genetic – protection of themselves – prolong their genetic pool
• Environmentally (Nurture)


  • Not innate, learnt during socialisation process
  • Suggests classical and operant conditioning and also observational learning all contribute to the development of antisocial behaviour
• Interaction between nature and nurture

  Factors contributing to antisocial behaviour
• Bystander Effect


  Where the likelihood of bystanders helping is influenced by the number of bystanders present at the scene – the more bystanders there are – less likely that one is more likely to help