Two Routes to the Perception of Need: The role of affective and deliberative information processing in pro-social behavior

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Dickert ◽  
Namika Sagara ◽  
Ellen Peters ◽  
Paul Slovic
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Pro Social Behavior

scholarly journals Anxiolytic treatment impairs helping behavior in rats

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Ben-Ami Bartal ◽  
H. Z. Shan ◽  
N. M. R. Molasky ◽  
T. M. Murray ◽  
J. Z. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Affective Response ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Door Opening ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Corticosterone Response ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Pro Social Behavior ◽  
Behavior Test

AbstractDespite decades of research with humans, the biological mechanisms that motivate an individual to help others remain poorly understood. In order to investigate the roots of pro-sociality in mammals, we established the helping behavior test, a paradigm in which rats are faced with a conspecific trapped in a restrainer that can only be opened from the outside. Over the course of repeated test sessions, rats exposed to a trapped cagemate learn to open the door to the restrainer, thereby helping the trapped rat to escape (Ben-Ami Bartal et al., 2011). The discovery of this natural behavior provides a unique opportunity to probe the motivation of rodent helping behavior, leading to a deeper understanding of biological influences on human pro-sociality.To determine if an affective response motivates door-opening, rats received midazolam, a benzodiazepine anxiolytic, and tested in the helping behavior test. Midazolam-treated rats showed less helping behavior than saline-treated rats or rats receiving no injection. Yet, midazolam-treated rats opened a restrainer containing chocolate, highlighting the socially specific effects of the anxiolytic. To determine if midazolam interferes with helping through a sympatholytic effect, the peripherally restricted beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist nadolol was administered; nadolol did not interfere with helping.The corticosterone response of rats exposed to a trapped cagemate was measured and compared to the rats’ subsequent helping behavior. Rats with the greatest corticosterone responses showed the least helping behavior and those with the smallest responses showed the most consistent helping at the shortest latency. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for the interaction between stress and pro-social behavior.Finally, we observed that door-opening appeared to be reinforcing. A novel analytical tool was designed to interrogate the pattern of door-opening for signs that a rat’s behavior on one session influenced his behavior on the next session. Results suggest that helping a trapped rat has a greater motivational value than does chocolate.In sum, this series of experiments clearly demonstrates the fundamental role of affect in motivating pro-social behavior in rodents and the need for a helper to resonate with the affect of a victim.

scholarly journals Sharing the Space With the “Victim” Can Increase Help Rates. A Study With Virtual Reality

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Spagnolli ◽  
Mariavittoria Masotina ◽  
Mattia Furlan ◽  
Patrik Pluchino ◽  
Massimiliano Martinelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Spatial Region ◽  
Psychological Study ◽  
Pro Social Behavior

A typical protocol for the psychological study of helping behavior features two core roles: a help seeker suffering from some personal or situational emergency (often called “victim”) and a potential helper. The setting of these studies is such that the victim and the helper often share the same space. We wondered whether this spatial arrangement might affect the help rate. Thus, we designed a simple study with virtual reality in which space sharing could be manipulated. The participant plays the role of a potential helper; the victim is a humanoid located inside the virtual building. When the request for help is issued, the participant can be either in the same spatial region as the victim (the virtual building) or outside it. The effect of space was tested in two kinds of emergencies: a mere request for help and a request for help during a fire. The analysis shows that, in both kinds of emergencies, the participants were more likely to help the victim when sharing the space with it. This study suggests controlling the spatial arrangement when investigating helping behavior. It also illustrates the expediency of virtual reality to further investigate the role of space on pro-social behavior during emergencies.

It Does Matter If You Win or Lose, and How You Play the (Video) Game

2020 ◽  
pp. 155541202091376
Author(s):  
Vanessa Hemovich
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Primary Outcome Variable ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
Pro Social Behavior ◽  
Screen Condition

Most violent video game (VVG) research focuses on aggressive behaviors as the primary outcome variable of interest. Using pro-social behavior as the dependent variable, this study explores factors beyond VVG content as a contributing factor to player outcomes. Participants were randomly assigned to play VVG or non-VVG content with viewing screens obstructed by large pieces of paper to increase difficulty, or unobstructed. Screen condition accounted for 34.5% of the variance in pro-social behavior of helping to retrieve spilled pens. Players in obstructed viewing conditions experienced more in-game losses and engaged in significantly less helping behavior. Fewer pens were retrieved by participants in obstructed viewing conditions while playing either a VVG or non-VVG. The present study cautions against generalized assumptions that VVG content is a primary determinant of behavior and underscores the role of important contextual factors like failure and achievement loss to consider in future studies of this nature.

Role of anthropomorphization on pro-social behavior

2018 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Archit Vinod Tapar ◽  
Abhishek Mishra ◽  
Ashish Sadh ◽  
Aditya Billore
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Compliance Behavior ◽  
Self Construal ◽  
Intrinsic Motivations ◽  
Need For Affect ◽  
Pro Social Behavior ◽  
Social Causes

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of anthropomorphic entities in the public service advertisements (PSA) on individuals’ pro-social behavior. In addition, the role of individuals’ need for affect and self-construal in moderating the effect of anthropomorphism toward pro-social behavior is explored.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental research design is executed to identify the causal relationship between anthropomorphic representations in the advertisements and pro-social behavior.FindingsThe findings suggest that anthropomorphism in PSA is helpful in increasing compliance behavior amongst individuals. Besides, an individual’s need for affect was found to positively moderate pro-social behavior.Research/limitations implicationsThe authors extend the existing literature on the usage of anthropomorphism in social causes. The authors also explore the role of one of the intrinsic motivations, need for affect, in pro-social behavior.Social implicationsThe study demonstrates how best one could use anthropomorphization in PSA by sensitizing individuals to social causes and compliance behavior.Originality/valueThe study builds upon the existing research on anthropomorphization, need for affect and pro-social behavior in increasing compliance with PSA.

scholarly journals How companies’ good deeds encourage consumers to adopt pro-social behavior

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 943-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Romani ◽  
Silvia Grappi
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Social Behaviors ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Social Cause ◽  
Moral Elevation ◽  
Pro Social Behavior

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the effects of company corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on two consumers’ pro-social behaviors closely related to the social cause promoted by the company, such as consumers donating money and volunteering time. In addition, the role of moral elevation as a mediating variable in such relationships is tested. Design/methodology/approach – After an exploratory study, the authors tested the role of moral elevation as a mediator that facilitates the effects of company CSR activities in social domains on two specific types of pro-social behavior displayed by consumers: donating money and volunteering time for the same cause sponsored by the company. The authors conducted two quantitative studies to test their hypotheses. In Study 1, they considered the two pro-social behaviors as intentions; in Study 2, they analyzed them as actual behaviors. In both studies, the authors conducted controlled experiments administered in the field. By using experimental and control conditions, they were able to manipulate corporate responsible actions in social contexts, and a mediational analysis was conducted. Findings – The authors results show that moral elevation mediates the positive relationship between the CSR activity and consumer intention to donate (actual consumer donating behavior) to social causes, and the CSR activity and volunteering intention (actual volunteering behavior). Originality/value – This paper contributes to furthering CSR theory by showing the positive effects of company CSR initiatives on two pro-social “secondary” outcomes and the mediating role played by moral elevation. Important implications for the role of CSR are derived for companies and society in general.

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