...Altruism is defined as the desire to help another person even if it involves a cost to the helper. The evolutionary view of altruism involves the ideas of kin selection and, the norm of reciprocity. Kin selection suggests that we are more likely to help those related to us, and the norm reciprocity proposes that we will help others if we expect them to return the help in the future. I believe these two concepts show a great unconscious motivator for altruism. The next more conscious part of altruism is the how much will it cost and reward the person who will help as discussed by the social exchange theory. And the final influence is the empathy-altruism hypothesis, which states that when we feel empathy for a person, we will help a person for purely altruistic reasons, regardless of what we have to gain. I believe these three factors to some degree or another play off each other to influence people when it comes to making an altruistic choice to help someone. Some of the other factors are an altruistic personality, influences from culture, gender roles, and religion. An altruistic personality is the qualities that cause an individual to help others, but the weight of a situation can diminish the effect of a personality type. When it comes to gender differences, males are raised to be altruistic in situations that are intense and call for heroic actions. Females are raised to be altruistic in a compassionate manner and long-term situations, like caring for elderly relatives...
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...minds of all individuals. A person’s belief in following that ambition is based solely on them. The term “Altruism” was pioneered by August Comte (1851). He characterized that it meant “Devotion to the welfare of others, based in complete selflessness.” In this definition, it puts forth that Altruism is only possible if, one completely disregarded his or her own needs. Times have changed since Comte coined the term. Our economy is in turmoil. It is becoming more common to see selfish behaviors versus selfless. Does that mean Altruism no longer exists? Humans live on a basis of morals, yet that seems to be strained these days. Many fields of expertise have created theories on the basis of Altruism. There are two main perspectives that have been set forth. Evolutionary Psychologists follow Maynard Smith’s Theory of “Kin Selection” (1963). Smith proposed that altruistic tendencies are passed on through genes of an individual’s offspring. That is why a person is greater inclined to help family over a perfect stranger. The Reciprocal Perspective is another theory that has been examined. It states that a person tends to be helpful to others only on the notion that the helpee will return the favor. If these broad views are true, why are there random people helping strangers? Just recently, a prime example of selfishness was followed by a very great show of true altruism. Adam Lanza brutally took the lives of 20 helpless children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary. The principal...
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...others: is selflessness really possible? Or is "altruism" merely doing things for others in order to feel good about ourselves? If human altruism exists, how does our neural system deal with it? The issue of altruism is complicated by the lack of agreement about many aspects of it, including its very definition. The word altruism, which comes from the Italian altrui, was coined in 1851 by August Comte to refer to benevolence (2). Although not everyone agrees today on what precisely altruism entails, the most basic definition is seeking the welfare of others (1). This definition is often extended, however, to include the necessity of some personal sacrifice on the part of the altruist; Edward O. Wilson defined altruism as "self-destructive behavior performed for the benefit of others" (1), (3). There is also an idea of reciprocal altruism, which is self-sacrificing behavior with the expectation that the favor will be returned eventually (4). If this behavior is motivated by the desire for future reward, it does not really fit the generally accepted definitions of altruism. In nonhuman animals, altruism is mainly seen in the form of one animal sacrificing or risking its life to save another. Studies of animals by researchers such as Hamilton, who worked with bees who sacrifice themselves to allow the queen to produce offspring with their genetic makeup, have led to an evolutionary explanation of altruism (4). One account of altruism in the animal kingdom is kin selection-that an...
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...Altruism is the will and intention to help another without regard for oneself. The will or instinct to help others is a driving force for altruistic behavior. Animals can engage in altruistic behavior; however they do not realize that they are being altruistic, therefore the behavior that is exhibited is not altruistic. For a behavior to be altruistic one needs to understand that they are benefiting others at their expense. Humans possess the will necessary to perform altruistic deeds, and can put it to great use. Humans are still animals, and may perform altruistic behaviors without realizing it. Altruism in politics is rare, but it is necessary to prevent social groups from being outcast. A proportional representation system will allow for altruism by helping minorities be represented at all times, while not requiring the current majority to relieve their representative power. Frans deWaal shows that alrutism is actually more natural than it seems, despite the apparent inconsistencies they present. Altruism is a choice to help others over one’s self. Only humans can be truly altruistic, as humans have the potential to make choices and realize their consequences almost completely, however seemingly altruistic events due occur naturally in the animal kingdom. “Taking on the midwife role another female spent no less than two and a half hours assisting the in experienced mother”(deWaal 688). The helper bat did know actually know and think about its actions and consequences. The...
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...to volunteering changed in such a way that social psychologists could attribute part of that change to altruistic behaviour. Volunteering and altruism shares common connection as such some volunteering work can be seen as altruistic though not every part of altruism can be said to mean volunteering. Volunteering is just one part of the different parts of altruism. Within this understanding it is possible to say the two concepts are strongly related and connected as well. This essay will try to explore the concept of volunteering in relation to altruism and to show that the large number of people that volunteered after September 11th had their altruistic tendency invoked. Altruism from social psychologists point of view is a prosocial behaviour that has been defined as “a motive to increase the welfare or wellbeing of another person without conscious regard for one’s own self-interests (David Myers, 2010). It is a norm or an act that is highly valued and cherished by individuals and society alike. According to Wispe, (1972) as cited by (Michael A. Hogg, 2008) it is a positive attitude that contributes to the physical and psychological well-being of another person. It is a different type of helping behaviour in which the motive of “intentions and benefits” to the person rendering it matters (Dovidio, et al, 2006, p. 25). Altruism is a special way of helping, it is somewhat different from...
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...Humans are capable of displaying many behaviours in the different situations they find themselves or see others in. In society, many people have come across situations where help is needed, and proceed to help, even if they do not know who the other person is. This is prosocial behaviour – any behaviour with the intention of helping or benefitting others. A subgroup of prosocial behaviour is altruism, which is helping others with some sort of risk to yourself (such as time, or getting hurt) and not seeking personal gains or rewards (Carter and Grivas, 2005). There is no definite purpose of altruism, but evolutionists theorize that it relates to helping others to preserve our genes. However, altruism doesn’t just occur spontaneously; the action of helping others without any self-benefit only takes place under certain circumstances. The cost-benefit analysis is when the helper considers the cost (such as their own personal health or time) and benefit (feeling good about themself for helping people) of doing and not doing the behaviour. They will usually be more likely to proceed with the behaviour when the benefit outweighs the cost. Another factor affecting helping behaviour could be personal influences such as feelings and mood. If the person feels guilty for not doing something, they will most likely do whatever it takes to be able to restore a positive view from others and reduce our own personal guilt. When someone is in a happy mood, they are more likely to help others...
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...Christopher Niemann Monica Hatch Eng. 100-001 June18, 2013 Reflective Essay Altruism: Proof that Mankind is Good Is mankind good by nature or is it a learned behavior? My purpose is to argue that mankind is good by nature. My research source for this will be Natalie Angier’s article on altruism. The title of the article is “Of Altruism, Heroism and Nature’s Gifts in the Face of Terror” as it discusses the desire to give and to sacrifice for sake of others. Natalie Angier is noted to be one of the premier science writers in the United States. She has received awards/recognitions for her research and has published many articles related to on science writing (50). If mankind is capable of having altruism as part of their genetic makeup, it is clear that mankind would then be good by nature. Altruism can be defined as an impulse. An impulse is a reaction to a situation, not a learned response to a situation. Pure altruism is giving without regard to reward or the benefits of recognition. . One example of this is noted in a paragraph in the above mentioned article on altruism. Angier’ talks about this as she wrote about the last of the four hijacked planes on September 11, 2001. It reads “as the last of four hijacked planes advances toward an unknown but surely populated destination, passengers huddle together and plot resistance against their captors, an act that may explain why the plane fails to reach its target, crashing instead into an empty field outside...
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...Does True Altruism Exist? "Altruism describes a motive that makes people help because of genuine concern for others, to increase the welfare of others" (Fiske, 2010, p. 321). Altruism is when individuals are motivated to help others around them without expecting anything back in return; altruism comes from someone doing a good deed without having to be recognized for doing it. So the big question is "Does true altruism exist?" I think altruism does still exist, we can clearly see that it does especially when we have a natural disaster like the one that many suffered from in the latest EF5 tornado in Moore Oklahoma, many individuals came together to make donations, and their time. "Altruism has been thought of as an ego defense, a form of sublimation in which a person copes with his anxiety by stepping outside himself and helping others. By focusing on the needs of others, people in altruistic vocations such as medicine or teaching may be able to permanently push their needs into the background, and so never have to address or even to acknowledge them. Conversely, people who care for a disabled or elderly person may experience profound anxiety and distress when this role is suddenly removed from them" (Burton, 2012, p. 1). Briefly Summarize Both Arguments Discussed in Issue 17 (Yes) Daniel Boston, Bruce Duncan, Paula Ackerman, Terese Buckley, and Kimberly Birch do believe that individuals do sometimes help people for altruistic reasons. Empathy is a key factor that...
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...Zinn’s style. Rand says, “Altruism is evil” (Ayn). Altruism is the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. Certainly not what Rand stood for, but Howard Zinn did. He believed in being there for your neighbor, friends, family, or others who needed you. Rand’s Objectivism was also not a loving and caring philosophy. She never once said, “Remember your friends and family, they are the ones who will be there when you fall.” Consistent with a display of selfish values, those were her ideas, “what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine.” Her ideas lacked generosity and faith or religion. Difficult as it may seem, she was said to be a nice old lady who has been just like a cuddly grandma, that's hard to imagine. Wikipedia says of Objectivisim, “that the only social system consistent with this morality is one that displays full respect for individual rights embodied in “Laissez-Faire Capitalism”, and that the role of art in human life is to transform humans' metaphysical ideas by selective reproduction of reality into a physical form—a work of art—that one can...
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...Altruism and Prosocial Behavior Altruism occurs when our motive from our behavior is entirely for the interest of others and is not motivated by self-interest (Feenstra, 2011). Doing something for someone to make them happy with no alternative motive would be acting altruistically, because your ultimate goal was the happiness of the other person. The happiness of others is the true goal of altruistic motives is for the well-being of another person, not yourself (Feenstra, 2011). You might receive benefits because the person on the receiving end could show gratitude, but being altruistic is not asking or needing gratuity for actions that were made to make one happy. An altruistic person doesn’t look for anything in return for making one happy or doing a good deed for that person. When self-benefits are an unintended consequence of an action, that action is truly altruistic (Feenstra, 2011). The difference between egoistic and altruism is that egoistic is doing something for self-interest unlike altruism which has no motive for the action. Let’s say I do a good deed for someone by mowing their lawn and I do this because I know money will be offered and the money was my motive for mowing the lawn. An egoistic person motives involve an ultimate goal of self benefit. Anything one does as an egoistic person is geared toward self benefit, even though the act may be thought of as a caring act. The bystander effect is an overall tendency to watch while someone needs help. There...
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...Socialism. Altruism. Communism. The great evil of collectivism bears many names, but all are based upon the same unattainable ideal: equality. The societies that embrace these totalitarian political forms, including that of Ayn Rand’s Anthem, intend to become the paragon of parity by having their citizens sacrifice their own happiness for that of their brethren. The leaders of Anthem’s supposedly egalitarian society justify this subtly sadistic method of rule with the ideals of equality, fraternity, and selflessness. The principles that blinded Equality 7-2521’s brethren to the grim reality they faced too often imbue members of modern society, especially as these standards are broadcasted by religious, social, and governmental groups. The...
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...Empathy-altruism hypothesis Empathy-altruism hypothesis is a prosocial behavior that states people are motivated to act in an altruism manner by the empathy they feel for others. Altruism is defined as a true desire to help those in need and expect nothing in return, not even satisfaction. Empathy is defined as a feeling of understanding the experience that another being is facing. Empathy-altruism hypothesis has a very important significance to American culture as well as cultures around the world because we all should strive towards altruism motivation to ensure our own survival in the future. Empathy has different elements and different levels dependent upon the situation and feelings felt by the observer. If the observer has empathy towards the observed, and not only feel what they are experiencing, but understand what they are experiencing then the observer is experiencing the two elements of empathy. A person with a high level of empathy would be an example of the empathy-altruism hypothesis. A person with a low level of empathy would be considered selfish. “Empathy is a vicarious emotional experience in which you feel and understand what another person feels.” (Bell) Empathy is a natural feeling that most people experience, it is if they choose to embrace this feeling and act upon it that determines their individual level and whether it will trigger altruism motivation. Altruism is a desire to help other people without a sense of obligation and to expect nothing...
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...Altruism and Pro Social Behavior Social Psychology Naomi Jackson Instructor Cheryl V. Browning Upper Iowa University ALTRUISM AND PRO SOCIAL BEHAVIOR One may ask what causes people to jeopardize their own health and well-being to help other people. What is it that inspires individuals to give their time, energy, and money to aid in the betterment of others, even when they receive nothing tangible in return? Altruism involves the unselfish concern for other people. It involves doing things simply out of a desire to help, not because you feel obligated to out of duty, loyalty, or religious. I’ve noticed that everyday life is filled with small acts of altruism, from the person who greets me going into Wal-Mart to the person who gives a generous donation to the march of dimes. Although news stories often focus on a greater scale of altruism, such as a person risking their life to save a child from a burning building that they don’t even know. To giving a generous donation to a local charity. Social Psychologists are interested in understanding why it occurs. Really, what does inspire these acts of kindness? What motivates people to risk their own lives to save a complete stranger? Altruism is one aspect of what Social Psychologists refer to Pro Social behavior. Pro Social behavior refers to any action that benefits other people, no matter what the motive or how the giver benefits from the action. While all altruistic acts are Pro Social...
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...Altruism and Prosocial Behavior Altruism occurs when our motive from our behavior is entirely for the interest of others and is not motivated by self-interest (Feenstra, 2011). Doing something for someone to make them happy with no alternative motive would be acting altruistically, because your ultimate goal was the happiness of the other person. The happiness of others is the true goal of altruistic motives is for the well-being of another person, not yourself (Feenstra, 2011). You might receive benefits because the person on the receiving end could show gratitude, but being altruistic is not asking or needing gratuity for actions that were made to make one happy. An altruistic person doesn’t look for anything in return for making one happy or doing a good deed for that person. When self-benefits are an unintended consequence of an action, that action is truly altruistic (Feenstra, 2011). The difference between egoistic and altruism is that egoistic is doing something for self-interest unlike altruism which has no motive for the action. Let’s say I do a good deed for someone by mowing their lawn and I do this because I know money will be offered and the money was my motive for mowing the lawn. An egoistic person motives involve an ultimate goal of self benefit. Anything one does as an egoistic person is geared toward self benefit, even though the act may be thought of as a caring act. The bystander effect is an overall tendency to watch while someone needs help. There...
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...Altruistic Acts Altruism is found all around the world. Everyday there are countless acts of helping that occur around us. Altruism is an unselfish interest and voluntary effort in helping another person. The particular actions do not provide a direct reward to the person performing them. Many still wonder why we perform altruistic acts. From an evolutionary view, altruism does not make any sense. So why do we, as human beings, prepare to risk our own lives under circumstances to save others? We should not be so inquisitive of helping others or even sacrificing our lives. Some acts may represent true altruism, whereas other help is motivated by self-concern. According to some psychologists, we help strangers to benefit ourselves, even if we are not aware of it....
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