Deck 11: Altruism and Prosocial Behavior

Question 1

Research shows that single people are more likely to volunteer than married people.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Which of the following study results would provide the best support for evolutionary theories of altruism?

A)Ground squirrels are equally likely to help sibling squirrels as they are to help non-kin squirrels.
B)Parents tend to behave more altruistically toward healthy offspring than toward sick offspring.
C)Strangers are more likely to help a post-menopausal woman than a pre-menopausal woman.
D)People will help a total stranger if they feel distress and do not have an easy escape from the situation.

Answer 2

Parents tend to behave more altruistically toward healthy offspring than toward sick offspring.

Question 3

Recall the study in which a confederate collapsed on a subway floor.Bystanders were less likely to help the confederate when he carried a liquor bottle and appeared drunk than when he carried a cane and appeared disabled.Researchers interpreted this finding to indicate that bystanders believe the drunk confederate _____________.

A)Is more likely to harm them
B)Would be harder to help
C)Doesn't want help
D)Is less deserving of help

Answer 3

Is less deserving of help

Question 4

Which of the following has NOT been shown to increase the likelihood of helping a needy person?

A)Liking the needy person
B)Being liked by the needy person
C)Having a similar background
D)All of the above increase the likelihood of helping

Question 5

According to evolutionary theory, parents would not sacrifice their lives for their children because it inhibits the evolutionary goal to procreate.

Question 6

An intoxicated White woman slips on ice in front of a group of people smoking outside of a bar.Jessie would like to help, but worries that people in the crowd will think that he, a Black man, is actually hurting the woman.He chooses not to help the woman.___________ most influenced Jessie's decision not to intervene.

A)Diffusion of responsibility
B)Interpreting the situation
C)Evaluation apprehension
D)None of the above

Question 7

Self-esteem is more often threatened when a person receives help from someone who is similar to them rather than dissimilar.

Question 8

Rajiv came down with mononucleosis and will miss the remaining lectures in his social psychology class.According to the empathy-altruism hypothesis, who would be most willing to take notes for Rajiv?

A)Pierre, since Rajiv helped him move into a new apartment last week
B)Melissa, since she took the class last semester and is already familiar with the course
C)Gunther, since he feels a lot of concern and compassion for Rajiv
D)Xiao, since he has never had mononucleosis

Question 9

After filling out a form listing her favorite hockey team, Victoria runs into a stranger looking for directions wearing her favorite team's jersey.Victoria is more likely to help this person in comparison to someone in a rival hockey team's jersey or someone in a white jacket.All of the following help explain this phenomenon EXCEPT?

A)Victoria perceives this person as a member of an in-group
B)Victoria is better able to ascribe the primary emotions of this person as an in-group member
C)Victoria is more able to emphasize with this person as an in-group member
D)Victoria is better able to ascribe the secondary emotions of this person as an in-group member

Question 10

Marco is in bad mood when he encounters a young child lost in the mall.How is Marco likely to respond?

A)Marco is so focused on his own problems that he does not notice the lost child
B)Marco helps the child to boost his mood
C)Marco feels deprived and doesn't want to use up his energy to help the child
D)All of the above

Question 11

Greg and Karina are brother and sister.According to research on gender differences in helping behavior, Greg is more likely to engage in _____________ prosocial behavior, whereas Karina is more likely to engage in _____________ prosocial behavior.

A)Nurturing or emotionally supportive; risky or heroic
B)Risky or heroic; nurturing or emotionally supportive
C)Egoistic; altruistic
D)Volunteering; philanthropic

Question 12

The presence of others provides the following influences on helping behavior, EXCEPT:

A)Decreases helping when people are trying to uphold reputation
B)Increases helping when people can see how much others have helped
C)Provides information about the costs and rewards associated with helping
D)Demonstrates which actions are effective in the situation

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT an example of an egoistic motivation to help?

A)Helping in order to gain someone's approval
B)Helping in order to avoid guilt
C)Helping to improve one's mood
D)Helping due to empathic feelings

Question 14

Casey is moving into a new apartment after a break up and asks friends to help carry furniture.Lila arrives, helps for an hour, and posts a picture on Instagram of her carrying a chair with the caption "This is what a good friend looks like." She receives likes from several friends and consequently feels proud of herself.Lila demonstrates __________ motivation in her helping behavior.

A)Altruist
B)Egotist
C)Evolutionary
D)Both B and C

Question 15

Which of the following hypothetical observations would be consistent with the results of the Hurricane Katrina study?

A)A Canadian assumes that other Canadian citizens feel more guilt after losing track of a child in a shopping mall than Chinese citizens feel after losing track of a child in a shopping mall.
B)A Canadian assumes that Chinese citizens feel more guilt after losing track of a child in a shopping mall than Canadian citizens feel after losing track of a child in a shopping mall.
C)A Canadian assumes that Chinese citizens and Canadian citizens feel equal amounts of guilt after losing track of a child in a shopping mall.
D)A Canadian assumes that Chinese citizens are more likely than Canadian citizens to lose a child in a shopping mall.

Question 16

The first step in Latané & Darley's (1970) decision sequence of bystander intervention involves noticing the situation.

Question 17

Good moods promote helping because people are less focused on their own problems.

Question 18

According to Chapter 11, what is a reason behavioral models (i.e., someone who demonstrates helping behavior) tend to increase helping among others?

A)Models make people feel guilty if they do not also help
B)Observing a behavioral model tends to put people in a good mood, so they are more willing to help
C)Models demonstrate that the benefits of helping outweigh the costs
D)Observing a behavioral model creates a diffusion of responsibility

Question 19

The story of Kitty Genovese, whose murder was reportedly witnessed by 38 people, is most likely an example of which phenomenon?

A)Diffusion of responsibility
B)Social norm of responsibility
C)Egoistic motivations to help
D)Evolutionary theories of helping behavior

Question 20

Shotland & Straw (1976) staged an experiment in which a man and woman appeared to be fighting.The man became physically abusive.Onlookers were most likely to intervene when the woman screamed _____________.

A)"Get away from me! I don't know why I ever married you!"
B)"Get away from me! I don't know you!"
C)"Get away from me! I already have a broken arm!"
D)"Get away from me! I know self-defense!"

Question 21

Women are less likely than men to help a child who they witness being abused.

Question 22

List three reasons why good moods promote helping.In light of this, name one situation when good moods could inhibit helping.

Question 23

Compare egoistic versus altruistic motives for helping.What are the main differences? Then write an illustrative story with two different endings: one in which the protagonist clearly demonstrates egoism and one in which they clearly demonstrates altruism.

Question 24

According to research on reciprocity, people are more likely to ask for help if they know they will not have to repay the favor in the future.

Question 25

A person must feel empathy for another in order to provide help.

Question 26

If a person feels responsible and knows how to provide help in a situation, they will help.

Question 27

Describe the five steps that bystanders theoretically go through when they encounter a potential emergency situation.

Question 28

A religious person who engages in helping because it is the "Christian thing to do" is an illustration of how role identities can drive prosocial behavior.

Question 29

Gautam follows a link to donate money to his friend's fundraiser.Gautam is likely to donate more money if each person's donation amounts are visible rather than anonymous.

Question 30

Philanthropy, volunteering, and bystander intervention are all forms of prosocial behavior.

Question 31

If witnessing the suffering of another person leads to feelings of distress rather than empathy, people prefer to escape the situation instead of help the sufferer.

Question 32

One reason people in bad moods are less likely to help is that they see themselves as less fortunate and do not want to divert resources to other people.

Question 33

How do self-esteem concerns influence the way people respond to receiving aid from others? Describe when self-esteem is likely to be threatened by receiving assistance from another person, as well as how the recipient is likely to feel as a result.

Question 34

Define the bystander effect and provide two explanations for why it occurs.

Question 35

The negative-state relief hypothesis is based on the assumption that people believe helping others might be unpleasant and worsen their mood.