Module 80 REVIEW

• 80-1 What is altruism? When are people most—and least—likely to help?

• Altruism is unselfish regard for the well-being of others.
• We are most likely to help when we (a) notice an incident, (b) interpret it as an emergency, and (c) assume responsibility for helping. Other factors, including our mood and our similarity to the victim, also affect our willingness to help.
• We are least likely to help if other bystanders are present (the bystander effect).

• 80-2 How do social exchange theory and social norms explain helping behavior?

• Social exchange theory is the view that we help others because it is in our own self-interest; in this view, the goal of social behavior is maximizing personal benefits and minimizing costs.
• Others believe that helping results from socialization, in which we are taught guidelines for expected behaviors in social situations, such as the reciprocity norm and the social-responsibility norm.

• 80-3 How do social traps and mirror-image perceptions fuel social conflict?

• A conflict is a perceived incompatibility of actions, goals, or ideas.
• Social traps are situations in which people in conflict pursue their own individual self-interest, harming the collective well-being.
• Individuals and cultures in conflict also tend to form mirror-image perceptions: Each party views the opponent as untrustworthy and evil-intentioned, and itself as an ethical, peaceful victim. Perceptions can become self-fulfilling prophecies.

• 80-4 What can we do to promote peace?

• Peace can result when individuals or groups work together to achieve superordinate (shared) goals.
• Research indicates that four processes—contact, cooperation, communication, and conciliation—help promote peace.

Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Putting himself in danger, Nish stood up to the bullies who were beating up Neel in a display of
   1. assuming responsibility.
   2. mirror-image perceptions.
   3. altruism.
   4. the bystander effect.
   5. diffusion of responsibility.
2. Sherif and his colleagues found that by providing hostile groups with _____, they were able to reduce tension as they worked together to solve problems.
   1. superordinate goals
   2. self-fulfilling prophecies
   3. mirror-image perceptions
   4. social traps
   5. GRIT
3. A situation in which the conflicting parties, by rationally pursuing their self-interest, become caught in mutually destructive behavior is known as a
   1. social trap.
   2. conflict.
   3. bystander effect.
   4. diffusion of responsibility.
   5. social-responsibility norm.
4. Lee feels that he cannot understand chemistry, so he gives up on doing the homework or studying for tests. When he fails chemistry he is demonstrating a(n)
   1. superordinate goal.
   2. mirror-image perception.
   3. enemy perception.
   4. social trap.
   5. self-fulfilling prophecy.

Practice FRQs

1. According to Darley and Latané, what three things must happen for a bystander to intervene?

Answer

1 point: The bystander must notice the event. Page 817

1 point: The bystander must interpret the incident as an emergency. Page 817

1 point: The bystander must assume responsibility. Page 817

2. Several years from now, your best friend asks you to help move all of his furniture out of his parents’ house into his new apartment. Explain how each of the following will play a role in deciding whether to help your friend move.

• Social exchange theory
• Reciprocity norm

(2 points)