Personal Factors: Empathy, Mood, Competence and Altruism. Chapter 10, pp

Personal Factors  Need to investigate if there are specific personal characteristics that make some people more likely to engage in pro-social behaviours.  Research has shown that an ability to empathise, our mood when help is needed and whether we feel competent to give the help that is required.

Empathy  The ability to identify with and understand another person’s feelings or difficulties.  Empathetic people tend to feel the distress of others, feel concern for them and can imagine what it must be like to need help.

Batson and Colleagues (1995)  Empathetic people may help others in distress for egoistic (selfish) reasons, such as wanting to get rid of the feeling of distress.  Or they may try to leave the situation in order to get away from the distress situation.

Batson and Collegues (1981)  When empathetic concern is high, most people help regardless of whether they are able to leave the situation.  When empathetic concern is low, fewer people helped when they were able to leave the situation, but they helped if they were unable to leave.

Mood  A good mood will increase the likelihood of pro- social behaviour occurring  A bad mood will either increase or decease likelihood of pro-social behaviour occurring.

Mood  Helping makes people feel good which can help people maintain a good mood.  Helping can also help people escape from a bad mood, especially if the person is experiencing guilt, then helping makes them feel better about themselves.  However, if the bad mood is self-focused (grief, depression etc.) then people are less likely to help.

Competence  People with abilities or training which are relevant to the situation are more likely to help.  However, untrained people may assist through indirect help, such as calling for assistance.  E.g. Rescue someone who is drowning, helper needs to be a strong swimmer.

Task 1. Learning Activity 10.7  Complete review questions: 1A 1B 2A 3A  Page 429

Altruism  Pro-social behaviour focused on the wellbeing or benefit of others without any concern for personal gain or reward.  The act of helping is totally selfless.  May involve risking one’s own life to help another's.

But… does altruistic behaviour truly exist?  Some Psychologists contend that there is always an underlying selfish motivation to help people.  E.g. To impress others or to feel better about ourselves.

Task 2. Debate  ‘Read Altruism: A test of your spirit’ as a class. Page431 of the textbook.  Is it possible that bystanders in each situation may have had an ‘underlying selfish’ motive.  One half of the class will be for and one half will be against.  Take notes from your group discussion and we will debate the topic as a class.

Reflection  In your own opinion, do you believe it is possible to be truly altruistic?