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Altruism & Helping Behavior
Mr. KochAP Psychology
Forest Lake High School
Altruism & Helping Behavior
• Altruism = an unselfish concern for another’s welfare– Helping behavior does not
seem to come naturally• Pick up from learning/environment
The Kitty Genovese Story• NYC (Kew Gardens) – March 13, 1964• 3:30am – 28yo woman going from car
to apt.• Man attacked, stabbed, and raped her• She screamed and 38 neighbors heard,
turned on lights, and came to window– Attacker left scene– However, nobody came to help or
called police• Attacker soon returned to stab and rape
her again• Neighbors again came to window, but
nobody intervened• Eventually someone called police, but
too late– She died on the way to the hospital
• Public appalled that nobody took action– Some neighbors explained they didn’t
want to get involved
Why do we help?• Social Exchange Theory
– We help when the costs of helping are outweighed by the benefits
• Some factors influencing help behavior:– Clarity of need– Presence of others (diffusion of
responsibility)• Bystander Effect – a phenomenon where
chances someone will help decrease as number of people present increases
– Personality of helper (especially empathy)– Environmental factors (urban vs. rural –
population density)– Mood