Question 1

Your text offers several challenges that evolutionary psychology has not been able to address.Which of the following would also challenge evolutionary rationales for helping behavior?

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology argues that helping behavior is motivated by the desire to enhance one's own survival and reproductive success. In the case of option B, Susan is risking her own safety to save a wounded animal with no direct benefit to her own survival or reproductive success, which challenges this rationale. Options A, C, and D can all potentially be explained by kin selection or reciprocal altruism, which are commonly cited as evolutionary explanations for helping behavior.

Question 2

According to evolutionary psychologists,we help others because of three factors that have become ingrained in our genes: the reciprocity norm,____,and ____

Accepted Answer

Kin selection and the ability to learn to follow norms and customs are evolutionary factors that influence helping behavior, alongside the reciprocity norm.

Question 3

A principal theory in social psychology is social exchange theory (Homans,1961; Thibaut and Kelley,1959). According to this theory,we will be most likely to help others

Accepted Answer

Social exchange theory suggests that people weigh the costs and benefits before deciding to help others. Therefore, we are most likely to help others when the benefits outweigh the costs.

Question 4

One consequence of living by the Golden Rule,"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," is that if you help those in need,they might return the favor someday.This idea is best represented by

Accepted Answer

The norm of reciprocity states that individuals will often feel compelled to repay those who have helped them in the past. Thus, living by the Golden Rule may result in others returning the favor.

Question 5

Although George wants to help a stranded motorist he passed on the freeway,he passes by because he knows it would take too much time out of his busy schedule.What theory offers the best explanation as to why George did not help?

Accepted Answer

The theory of social exchange suggests that individuals make decisions based on a cost-benefit analysis. George is weighing the cost of taking time out of his busy schedule to help the stranded motorist against the potential benefit of being a good Samaritan. In this case, the cost (losing time) outweighs the benefit, and so George decides not to help.

Question 6

The groups of people who live among those who are may be more likely to survive than those people who live among groups of people who are ____.This idea is referred to as ____.

Accepted Answer

This idea is referred to as group selection, where the survival and success of a group depends on the cooperation and altruism of its individuals towards each other, rather than individual selfishness. Therefore, those who live among selfless individuals who work for the benefit of the group are more likely to survive than those who live among selfish individuals who prioritize their own interests over the group's.

Question 7

____ theory would be most likely to mention such factors as social approval and increased self-worth as motivations for prosocial behavior.

Accepted Answer

Social exchange theory suggests that people help others based on a cost-benefit analysis, where the benefits include social approval and increased self-worth, among other potential rewards.

Question 8

According to ____,helping occurs only when the benefits of helping outweigh the costs.

Accepted Answer

Social exchange theory suggests that people weigh the costs and benefits of helping before deciding whether or not to help. In other words, people will only help if they believe that the benefits of helping outweigh the costs. This theory assumes that people are primarily motivated by self-interest and that they will only act in ways that benefit themselves.

Question 9

All of the following factors that promote prosocial behavior except ____ have been "ingrained in our genes," according to the theorizing of evolutionary psychologists.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychologists argue that kin selection, the reciprocity norm, and the ability to learn and follow social norms are ingrained in our genes as they have survival benefits. Altruism, however, is often seen as a behavior that may not directly benefit the individual's genetic survival, making it less likely to be ingrained genetically.

Question 10

Social exchange theory would have the most trouble explaining which of the following helping situations?

Accepted Answer

Social exchange theory posits that people weigh the costs and benefits of helping in any given situation. In Option B, where Theo risks his own safety to help a stranger, the potential costs are high and the benefits are low or uncertain. This type of heroic, selfless behavior may not fit easily within the framework of social exchange theory. The other options involve more clear-cut benefits (such as course credit or potential favors in return) that could be seen as motivating factors for helping.

Question 11

Elaine explains that she donates money to charity because,"It makes me feel like I'm investing in the future.It just feels good!" Her motive for helping is best described by which theory?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Elaine explains that she donates money to...

Question 12

You ask your brother if you can borrow his car for a date on Saturday night.Before handing over the keys,he asks in jest,"What's in it for me?" His question best reflects ____ as applied to prosocial behavior.

Accepted Answer

The brother's question "What's in it for me?" reflects social exchange theory, which suggests that people engage in prosocial behavior when the benefits outweigh the costs. In this case, the brother is jokingly asking what he will gain from lending his car, indicating that he is weighing the potential costs (e.g. damage to the car) against the potential benefits (e.g. gratitude or other favors in return).

Question 13

Although evidence from studies by Burnstein and his colleagues suggests that people are more likely to help family than strangers or friends in some situations,they also note that people are equally likely to help a friend or family member under which of the following circumstances?

Accepted Answer

People are equally likely to help a friend or family member in non-life-threatening situations, as the urgency and severity of the situation do not prioritize family over friends.

Question 14

Some evolutionary psychologists argue that in our distant past,those who selfishly pursued their own individual interests would be less likely to survive to pass on their genes.This argument lies at the heart of ____ as a source of altruistic behavior.

Accepted Answer

The reciprocity norm suggests that individuals act altruistically with the expectation that such actions will be reciprocated in the future, enhancing their own survival and reproductive success. This concept aligns with the idea that those who cooperated and supported others, rather than acting purely selfishly, would have been more likely to survive and pass on their genes.

Question 15

In explaining the process by which kin selection works to encourage altruism,evolutionary psychologists would argue that

Accepted Answer

According to evolutionary psychologists, kin selection encourages altruism because over millennia, the genes of those who follow the "biological importance" rule (i.e. helping genetically related individuals) will survive and be passed on to future generations. This is because helping genetically related individuals increases the chances of passing on one's own genes. It is not necessarily a conscious decision or dependent on norms, and can occur in a variety of situations, not just life-and-death ones.

Question 16

The basic assumption of social exchange theory is that we will help others when

Accepted Answer

Social exchange theory suggests that we weigh the rewards and costs of helping others before deciding to do so. Therefore, we will help others when the rewards outweigh the costs, regardless of whether they have already helped us or not. Choices B and C are not necessarily true all the time, as high rewards and low costs may not always result in helping behavior. Choice D is also not accurate as reciprocity is just one of the factors that may influence helping behavior, but not a necessary condition for it.

Question 17

Humans' ability to learn social norms is due to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Humans' ability to learn social norms is...

Question 18

According to Nobel laureate Herbert Simon (1990),norms (such as the reciprocity norm)that encourage altruism have become part of human cultures because

Accepted Answer

According to Herbert Simon, norms that encourage altruism have become part of human cultures because there are survival advantages to learning the norms of one's culture. This supports Option A, which suggests that there are survival advantages to learning cultural norms. Option B is not supported because it suggests that values are more important than genes, which is not directly relevant to the explanation provided. Option C is also not supported because it suggests that norms are genetically inherited, which is not consistent with the explanation provided. Option D is not supported because it suggests that evolutionary pressures no longer operate on humans, which is not directly relevant to the explanation provided.

Question 19

Helga stops and helps Bjorn change a flat tire along the road because she figures that one day she'll need help and someone will return the favor.This best illustrates the idea of

Accepted Answer

Bjorn and Helga's exchange exemplifies the social norm of reciprocity, where individuals provide benefits and services to others with the expectation that they will receive comparable benefits or services in return. This norm is upheld in many societies, as it promotes collaboration and ensures that individuals are not solely reliant on their own resources when in need.

Question 20

Evolutionary psychology would have the most trouble explaining which of the following incidents?

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology focuses on explaining behavior as adaptations shaped by natural selection to aid survival and reproduction. However, Larry's behavior in sacrificing himself for strangers goes against the evolutionary principle of self-preservation and increasing the chances of passing on one's genes. It may be difficult for evolutionary psychology to explain this behavior, as it does not provide an obvious reproductive advantage.

Quiz 11: Prosocial Behavior: Why Do People Help