Social Psychology PSY-328

Reply to discussion questions:

1.  People are likely to help people if they have been in the same situation,  or it looks familiar to them. Some people are just motivated to help others. It also can be their religion that makes them wont to help them give back. Some factors that will increase the helping of others is how a person is willing to help themselves, some people just have it in them to wont to help others and don’t want anything in return, and some people just help to boot their ego. For me, I help out because I feel if I can bring someone up from a dark place then I  made a positive mark in their life making a positive difference in someone life, is what I have taught my kids.  

2.  
Prosocial behavior is an action of helping another person in some way (Kenrick, n.d.). When we decide to help others, similarly and familiarity make a difference in your helping decisions.  Similarly is based on the degree that the helper is similar in looks, personality, traits, and beliefs.  If the helper is similar to the person needing help, the helper is more motivated to help based on human survival (Kenrick, n.d.).  Familiarity prompts a helper when the helper is related the person needing help, or people are familiar with or even befriended.   People who the helper grew up with or went to school with would also be great examples of familiarity.
Once reason we decided not to help could be based on our self-esteem.  How will we feel if our help brings success to the person we are helping?  If it will, we may be inclined not to help (Kenrick, n.d.). One that is not in the book, is possibly the person that needs help has asked for help too many times and no one is willing to help.