Recall that the introduction to Chapter 11 (Prosocial Behavior) began with a description of several of the citizen-heroes of September 11, 2001-for example William Wik, who refused to flee to personal safety because there were still people to be rescued. He died when the tower collapsed. Wik was willing to sacrifice his own life to save others, and his behavior could thus best be described as

Question

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Altruism refers to behavior that benefits others at a cost to oneself, without any expectation of personal benefit or reward. William Wik's behavior fits this definition, as he sacrificed his own life to save others without any expectation of personal gain. It was clearly not a case of kin selection or evolutionarily adaptive behavior, as he was not related to the people he was trying to save and his behavior did not necessarily increase his own chances of survival or reproductive success. Prosocial behavior refers to any behavior that benefits others, but it does not necessarily involve a cost to the self or the absence of personal gain. Altruism is a specific type of prosocial behavior characterized by self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.

Recall That the Introduction to Chapter 11 (Prosocial Behavior) Began