Social psychologyLesson 4 of 4 in the course Social Psychology

Prosocial Helping, Relationship Formation, and Theories of Love

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson examines why people voluntarily help others and introduces the debate about whether helping can be truly selfless.

Prosocial behavior is voluntary behavior intended to help another person. It includes actions such as offering assistance, sharing resources, or comforting someone in distress. A helper may receive some benefit, but the defining feature is the intention to help.

All flashcards

Empathy
Understanding another person’s perspective and feeling what that person feels; it can motivate helping.
Self-disclosure
Sharing personal information, thoughts, and feelings with another person.
Matching hypothesis
The proposal that people tend to choose partners they perceive as similar in attractiveness and social desirability.
Consummate love
Sternberg’s form of love that combines intimacy, passion, and commitment.
Social exchange theory
An account of relationships in which people evaluate benefits and costs.

Quiz questions

  1. According to an altruistic explanation, what primarily motivates helping?Answer: Concern for the person receiving help.
  2. Why does feeling good after helping not prove that the helper acted egoistically?Answer: The positive feeling may result from helping rather than cause it.
  3. How can proximity support the formation of relationships?Answer: It creates opportunities for repeated contact and growing familiarity.
  4. What does the matching hypothesis propose about partner choice?Answer: People tend to choose partners they perceive as comparable in attractiveness and social desirability.
  5. Which components together describe consummate love in Sternberg’s theory?Answer: Intimacy, passion, and commitment.

Based on Psychology 2e by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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