The vast majority of human behavior in society is considered prosocial behavior.
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Benevolence; Charity; Civil service; Compassion; Cooperation; Generosity; Helping; Kind acts; Philanthropy; Selflessness; Self-sacrifice; Volunteering Show
DefinitionProsocial behavior is voluntary, intentional behavior that results in benefits for another person. Such behavior is considered to be altruistic if it is motivated by a genuine desire to benefit another person, without any expectation of benefits to oneself (Feigin et al. ; Eisenberg and Miller ). Prosocial behavior is the “social glue” that enables people of different ages to live together peacefully and productively. Specifically, prosocial behavior has been defined as “voluntary, intentional behavior that results in benefits for another person” (Eisenberg and Miller , p. 92). The purpose of this entry is to examine motivators or antecedents of prosocial behavior, possible benefits or consequences for the helper, and how the underlying processes may differ across different phases of the adult lifespan. Ima... This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution. Buying optionsChapter EUR 29.95 Price includes VAT (Singapore)
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Corresponding authorCorrespondence to Jennifer C. Lay . Editor informationEditors and Affiliations
Rights and permissionsReprints and Permissions Copyright information© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore About this entryCite this entryLay, J.C., Hoppmann, C.A. (2017). Altruism and Prosocial Behavior. In: Pachana, N.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_69 What is considered prosocial behaviour?Prosocial behavior was defined as behavior through which people benefit others (Eisenberg, 1982), including helping, cooperating, comforting, sharing, and donating (Eisenberg and Fabes, 1998; Greener and Crick, 1999).
Why is prosocial behavior important in society?Over time, prosocial behavior is associated with greater psychological well-being, better social relationships, and better physical health, including greater longevity. Thus, prosocial behavior is valuable for both those who receive help and those who do the helping.
What is prosocial vs antisocial behavior?Prosocial behavior is voluntary behavior intended to help or benefit another individual (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1998), while antisocial behavior has been defined as behavior intended to harm or disadvantage another individual (Kavussanu and Boardley, 2009, Sage et al., 2006).
What are the two types of prosocial behavior?For instance, proactive prosocial behaviors were positively related to agentic goals and popularity, whereas altruistic prosocial behaviors were positively related to communal goals and likeability by peers.
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