Culture+and+prosocial+behavior

=Learning outcome= //**Using one or more research studies, explain cross-cultural differences in prosocial behavior**// Consider
 * Where have most of the studies been carried out?
 * Can we assume that what is true in one culture is true of another?

3A Emma, Chiara, Sofia - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u0HJW9emp6etkQnzTcZYn7K3zfCOY4z4BW69bcssMhM/edit Roger and Daniel - http://meetingwords.com/i72dNLK4NZ Ugam, Jess, Hae Min - http://meetingwords.com/QKX9OztqEc John and Angeline - http://meetingwords.com/5p8r5jT6Z6

4A Poppy and Marisa - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-sTG22cv3Bainmf5Twtp0EPU4xTNLzol6QL8AJMwhK8/edit Laura and Rachelle - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JJWmES9TVmvDoLCjAE4M5vAS5UxdJUolG9LaHrAS8HQ/edit Mimi, Sean and Ishita - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_6ms0qja5E9z2GhAyPJCYvZBsAB0QDctoRZp3fxvBlQ/edit Andy, Yvonne and Helena - //please send me your link// Kelvin, Tim, Mohan, Charles //- please send me your link// Phillip, Yuna and Brooke //- please send me your link//

Task 1
Read the excerpts on the moodle: This learning outcome is basically asking for reasons WHY there are cross-cultural differences.
 * Excerpt from Law et al
 * Excerpt from Eysenck

As you read and take notes, do so using each key factor above. Therefore only identify and note down information relevant to the above factors. We will then discuss these in class.
 * 3 reasons that you could discuss in an essay are:**
 * 1) Child-rearing practices in the family
 * 2) how cultural norms establish a moral code about helping (or not!)
 * 3) that these norms can be linked to cultural dimensions that shape the degree to which individuals who live in those societies may be prone to exhibit helping behavior.

Individualism-Collectivism

 * Question**
 * Is collectivism related to increased prosocial behavior?
 * Aspects of the answer**
 * Related to principle - 'we are social animals and have a need to belong'
 * We tend to help members of our in-group (our own cultural group) rather than someone in an out-group (a complete stranger)
 * Whiting - if you come from an individualistic culture, you will most likely limit helping behavior to your own family - could be connected to child-rearing practices
 * Limitation**
 * cause-effect relationship between dimension and helping behavior cannot be determined
 * the dimension describes the culture
 * other factors within those cultures could be responsible for the actual behavior

Are there differences?

 * Industrialized societies - more emphasis on competition and personal success**
 * reduces cooperation and altruism

Non-industrialized - more social responsibilities (family)
 * creates a creed of helping behavior
 * may expect helping behavior in turn - reduces actual altruism

**Other factors**
Law et al identify a number of these - (p.258) Levine - study of cities in 23 countries Spanish and Latin- American cultures
 * concept of 'simpatia' or 'simpatico
 * identified top 5 cities and top bottom cities
 * relationship between purchasing power per capita and fewer helping behaviors manifested

Child rearing practices
Comparison of prosocial behavior in six cultures as a result of child rearing practices Participants Findings Whiting and Whiting drew a connection between behavior and different child-rearing patterns.
 * Whiting and Whiting (1975)**
 * children between ages of 3 and 10 in 6 cultures
 * Kenya - 100% young children high in altruism
 * USA - 8% of young children altruistic


 * Kartner, J. et al (2010)** - [|Cognitive and social influences on early prosocial behavior in two sociocultural contexts.]
 * Comparison of 19-month olds from Berlin (n = 38) and Delhi (n = 39)
 * no cross-cultural differences found in helping behaviors
 * Individually the emphasis mothers placed on socialization goals (specifically obedience) appeared to be a predictor of the toddlers' prosocial behavior
 * connection made with what Kartner refers to as "shared intentional relations"

Why is this significant

Cultural norms establish moral codes
Miller et al. study (1990) Cultural norms and moral values influence the perception of social responsibility Participants Methodology Findings
 * Moral values**
 * 400 individuals from North America and India (Hindus)
 * Interviews on hypothetical situations - what to do if someone isn't helping someone in need
 * Hindu Indians - help in all situations
 * Americans - helping is a personal choice; whether you liked them or not was also a factor

Is it appropriate to seek help?
 * Help-seeking behavior**

=Further reading on factors=

Levels of arousal
'Predictors of prosocial behavior among Chinese high school students in Hong Kong' "while personal distress may elicit a motivation to help, it could also inhibit prosocial actions when fear, tension, or distress is too high. As such, further research is needed to examine the relationship between empathy-related responses and prosocial behavior." ([|Siu, A. M. H., et al. ScientificWorldJournal. 2012; 2012: 489156. Published online 2012 July 31. doi: 10.1100/2012/489156])

Specific factors
[|Prosocial Behavior] By Ariel Knafo | Michelle Weiner | Irit Dubrovsky (The Gale Grou
 * DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES
 * CONTEXTUAL AND INDIVIDUAL INFLUENCES
 * RELATION TO OTHER ASPECTS OF SCHOOL FUNCTIONING
 * HOW TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS CAN PROMOTE PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR

=Limitations of cross-cultural research=
 * Misunderstanding cultural issues and how they impact on behavior
 * the difficulty of defining cultural factors
 * the difficulty of measuring behavior
 * eg. there are many other factors that influence behavior in China and the US than the concept of the individualistic-collectivist dimension (see comment above)

Source: [|Theoretical and Methodological Problems in Cross-Cultural Psychology]

=Student work=