Chapter 8: Helping and Altruism
- Page ID
- 217769
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Chapter Learning Objectives
1. Understanding Altruism: Self and Other Concerns
- Understand the differences between altruism and helping, and explain how social psychologists try to differentiate the two.
- Review the roles of reciprocity and social exchange in helping.
- Describe the evolutionary factors that influence helping.
- Summarize how the perceptions of rewards and costs influence helping.
- Outline the social norms that influence helping.
2. The Role of Affect: Moods and Emotions
- Summarize the effects of positive and negative moods on helping.
- Explain how the affective states of guilt, empathy, and personal distress influence helping.
3. How the Social Context Influences Helping
- Review Bibb Latané and John Darley’s model of helping behavior and indicate the social psychological variables that influence each stage.
4. Other Determinants of Helping
- Review the person, gender, and cultural variables that relate to altruism.
- Explain how the reactions of the person being helped may influence the benefits of helping.
- Outline the ways that we might be able to increase helping.

