These small acts of kindness are what psychologists refer to as prosocial behaviors.
They are more than just feel-good moments.
They play a crucial role in holding together the fabric of our social lives.
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They help us forge connections, cope with hardships, and even help us feel better about ourselves.
Simply put, prosocial behaviors are those intended tohelp other people.
These actions are characterized by a concern for the rights, feelings, and welfare of other people.
A few examples of prosocial behaviors includefeeling empathyand concern for others.
Prosocial behavior includes many actions, such as helping, sharing, comforting, and cooperating.
The term itself originated in the 1970s and was introduced by social scientists as an antonym for antisocial behavior.
Other researchers have proposed that prosocial behaviors can be divided into helping, sharing, or comforting subtypes.
Why We Help Others
Prosocial behavior has long posed a challenge to social scientists.
Why would people do something that benefits someone else but offers no immediate benefit to the doer?
Psychologists suggest that there are a number of reasons why people engage in prosocial behavior.
Evolutionary Influences
Evolutionary psychologistsoften explain prosocial behaviors in terms of the principles of natural selection.
Reciprocal Behavior
In many cases, we do something for other people.
They’ve already done something nice for us.
Or we hope that by helping, they will one day return the favor.
This socialization process can powerfully influence prosocial behaviors.
Thebystander effectis one of the most notable examples of how the situation can impact helping behaviors.
The same thing can happen in cases where someone is in serious danger, such as a car accident.
She was attacked late at night near her apartment, but no one contacted authorities during the attack.
However, the crime still spurred abundant research on the bystander effect and prosocial behavior.
Prosocial behavior can be a beneficial force for individuals, communities, and societies.
Seeing other people do good things encourages and inspires others to take action to help others.
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