CHAPTER 9: Prosocial Behaviour: Doing What’s Best for Others
What is prosocial behaviour?
Prosocial behaviour: doing something that is good for other people or for society as a
whole.
It includes behaviour that respects others or that allows society to operate.
It builds relationships.
Obeying the rules, conforming to socially accepted standards of proper behaviour, and
cooperating with others are important forms of prosocial behaviour.
Helping – something of an “extra” or a luxury.
We admire the spirit of ‘paying it forward’, but society could function just fine if nobody did
that.
Following rules is essential. Helping is less essential, though helping does make the world a much
nicer place, and some form of helping are probably vital for the survival of the species.
A society in which people respect and follow the rules is said to have an effective rule of law.
If there are no laws, or if laws exists but are widely ignored and disobeyed, the rule of law is
said to be lacking.
The rule of law may occasionally annoy us, such as when you get a speeding ticket, but in
reality the rule of law is usually a huge boost to the quality of life.
Prosocial behaviour can also be influenced by experiences.
What are other predictors of prosocial behaviour?
Connectedness, fairness and justice are important factors in predicting prosocial behaviour.
The crucial point is that people behave better when they think the rules are fair.
The presence of other can stimulate prosocial behaviour, such as when someone acts more
properly because other people are watching.
Public circumstances generally promote prosocial behaviour.
One purpose of prosocial behaviour, especially at cost to self, is to get yourself accepted into the
group, so doing prosocial things without recognition is less beneficial.
Self-interest determines that you will act prosocially if it help you belong to the group.
Born to reciprocate
Reciprocity: obligation to return in kind what another has done for us.
Reciprocity norms are found in all cultures in the world.
“if you scratch my back, I will scratch yours”
‘if I do something for you, and you don’t do anything back to me, I’m likely to be upset or
offended, and next time around I may not do something for you. I you do something for me,
and I don’t reciprocate, I’m likely to feel guilty about it.
The reciprocity norm is so powerful that it even applies to situations in which you do not ask
for the favour.
, Most often people consider reciprocity to be direct – you help someone who may help you
later.
Helping someone or refusing to help has an impact on one’s reputation within the group.
Does reciprocity apply to seeking help as well as giving help?
People’s willingness to request or accept help often depends on whether they think they will
be able to pay it back.
If they don’t think they can pay the helper back, they are less willing to let someone help
them.
When someone helps you, you probably feel grateful for the assistance.
Gratitude: a positive emotion that results form the perception that one has benefited from
the costly, intentional, voluntary action of another person.
People often have an acute sense of fairness when they are on the receiving end of someone
else’s generosity or benevolence, and they prefer to accept help when they think they can
pay back the person.
Born to be fair
Norms: standards established by society to tell its members what types of behaviour are typical or
expected.
Norms that promote fairness can have an important influence on whether people contribute to the
common good.
Two norms that provide fairness are equity and equality.
1. Equity: each person receives benefits in proportion to what he/she has contributed.
2. Equality: everyone gets the same amount.
Both kinds of fairness are used and understood much more widely by humans than by any other
animal.
According to some evolutionary theories, an individual’s ability to reproduce depends largely on his/
her position in the group.
In order to maintain fitness-enhancing relationships, the individual must continually invest time,
energy and resources in building good relationships with others in the social group.
If you take without giving something back, you run the risk that others might resent you and might
ultimately reject or exclude you from the group.
People are designed by nature to belong to a system based on fairness and social exchange.
People who do see themselves as taking more than they give may become depressed. To avoid
depression, people may seek to contribute their fair share.
Some suicides may reflect the same concern with being fair and reciprocal.
The concern with fairness makes people feel bad when they don’t contribute their fair share, but it
also can affect people who think that their good performance makes others feel bad.
What is prosocial behaviour?
Prosocial behaviour: doing something that is good for other people or for society as a
whole.
It includes behaviour that respects others or that allows society to operate.
It builds relationships.
Obeying the rules, conforming to socially accepted standards of proper behaviour, and
cooperating with others are important forms of prosocial behaviour.
Helping – something of an “extra” or a luxury.
We admire the spirit of ‘paying it forward’, but society could function just fine if nobody did
that.
Following rules is essential. Helping is less essential, though helping does make the world a much
nicer place, and some form of helping are probably vital for the survival of the species.
A society in which people respect and follow the rules is said to have an effective rule of law.
If there are no laws, or if laws exists but are widely ignored and disobeyed, the rule of law is
said to be lacking.
The rule of law may occasionally annoy us, such as when you get a speeding ticket, but in
reality the rule of law is usually a huge boost to the quality of life.
Prosocial behaviour can also be influenced by experiences.
What are other predictors of prosocial behaviour?
Connectedness, fairness and justice are important factors in predicting prosocial behaviour.
The crucial point is that people behave better when they think the rules are fair.
The presence of other can stimulate prosocial behaviour, such as when someone acts more
properly because other people are watching.
Public circumstances generally promote prosocial behaviour.
One purpose of prosocial behaviour, especially at cost to self, is to get yourself accepted into the
group, so doing prosocial things without recognition is less beneficial.
Self-interest determines that you will act prosocially if it help you belong to the group.
Born to reciprocate
Reciprocity: obligation to return in kind what another has done for us.
Reciprocity norms are found in all cultures in the world.
“if you scratch my back, I will scratch yours”
‘if I do something for you, and you don’t do anything back to me, I’m likely to be upset or
offended, and next time around I may not do something for you. I you do something for me,
and I don’t reciprocate, I’m likely to feel guilty about it.
The reciprocity norm is so powerful that it even applies to situations in which you do not ask
for the favour.
, Most often people consider reciprocity to be direct – you help someone who may help you
later.
Helping someone or refusing to help has an impact on one’s reputation within the group.
Does reciprocity apply to seeking help as well as giving help?
People’s willingness to request or accept help often depends on whether they think they will
be able to pay it back.
If they don’t think they can pay the helper back, they are less willing to let someone help
them.
When someone helps you, you probably feel grateful for the assistance.
Gratitude: a positive emotion that results form the perception that one has benefited from
the costly, intentional, voluntary action of another person.
People often have an acute sense of fairness when they are on the receiving end of someone
else’s generosity or benevolence, and they prefer to accept help when they think they can
pay back the person.
Born to be fair
Norms: standards established by society to tell its members what types of behaviour are typical or
expected.
Norms that promote fairness can have an important influence on whether people contribute to the
common good.
Two norms that provide fairness are equity and equality.
1. Equity: each person receives benefits in proportion to what he/she has contributed.
2. Equality: everyone gets the same amount.
Both kinds of fairness are used and understood much more widely by humans than by any other
animal.
According to some evolutionary theories, an individual’s ability to reproduce depends largely on his/
her position in the group.
In order to maintain fitness-enhancing relationships, the individual must continually invest time,
energy and resources in building good relationships with others in the social group.
If you take without giving something back, you run the risk that others might resent you and might
ultimately reject or exclude you from the group.
People are designed by nature to belong to a system based on fairness and social exchange.
People who do see themselves as taking more than they give may become depressed. To avoid
depression, people may seek to contribute their fair share.
Some suicides may reflect the same concern with being fair and reciprocal.
The concern with fairness makes people feel bad when they don’t contribute their fair share, but it
also can affect people who think that their good performance makes others feel bad.
