Intelligence Testing

Running head: A STUDY OF PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

A Study of Pro-social Behaviour: Altruism

Phon Chin Ming Edmond

Singapore Institute of Management University

In part fulfillment of DSZ1021 course requirements

Tutor: Ms Shahiraa

Date of Submission: 11 October 2006

Introduction

The term altruism is an ideological concept. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia defines it as the “ethical theory that regards the good of others as the end of moral action” (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, 2006). It refers to pro-social behaviour such as giving to people who are poor or helping your neighbour buy groceries. The definition of the term, however, poses for us problems in practicality. Philosophers and researchers are divided in the definition of the term itself. Is pure altruism defined simply by acts of seemingly altruistic behaviour or by intent? Is it possible for people humanely speaking to behave altruistically purely for the sake of others? Or are they doing so because of other motivations? Does helping your neighbour buy groceries for the sake of improving your relationship with him count as pure altruistic behaviour?

Various other researchers have used different perspectives to explain altruistic behaviour. One side of the coin asserts the possibility of pure altruism while the others reject it. Typically, researchers have based their research on the motivations behind altruistic behaviour as a standard of measure.

Batson (1997) supported the hypothesis of empathy-altruism in support of the possibility of pure altruism. The empathy-altruism hypothesis defines pure altruistic action as empathetic concern for another which is brought about by feelings of “compassion tenderness, sotfheartedness, and sympathy” (cited in Cialdina et al, 1997, p 481).

Cialdini (1997) and his colleagues however questioned the validity of the empathy-altruism hypothesis. They argued that empathy-altruism occurs only when the person providing help sees a part of him or herself in the person he or she is helping. Therefore, through perspective taking, the person providing help may see helping the other person as promoting a sense of oneness to oneself, which denounces the possibility of empathy-altruism hypothesis as a definition of pure altruism (Cialdini et al, 1997).

On a broader psychological perspective, motivations induced by a sense of oneness with self as suggest by Cialdini, fit into the category of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in the self-actualisation category. Coon (2006) states the need for wholeness (unity), justice (fairness), goodness (benevolence) and meaningfulness (values) as meta-needs in the self-actualisation category. The need for oneness can be seen as the need for wholeness