NCJ Number
7343
Date Published
1968
Length
174 pages
Annotation
PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF ALTRUISTIC BEHAVIOR ARISING FROM EFFORTS TO FIND COURSES OF LEGAL AND SOCIAL ACTION WHICH WOULD INCREASE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR.
Abstract
TWO HYPOTHESES WERE TESTED. THE FIRST WAS THAT IN THE CONTROL CONDITIONS SUBJECTS WHO DID NOT ANTICIPATE A PENALTY WOULD CHOOSE MORE ALTRUISTICALLY THAN SUBJECTS WHO ANTICIPATED A PENALTY. THE SECOND WAS THAT SUBJECTS IN THE DISSIMILARITY CONDITIONS (DISSIMILARITY OF OPINION BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND THE OTHER PERSON) WOULD DISLIKE THE OTHER PERSON AND DISPLAY EQUALLY LITTLE ALTRUISTIC BEHAVIOR, WHEREAS SUBJECTS IN THE SIMILARITY CONDITIONS WOULD LIKE THE OTHER PERSON. THOSE SUBJECTS WHO DID NOT ANTICIPATE A PENALTY WOULD BEHAVE MORE ALTRUISTICALLY THAN THOSE WHO ANTICIPATED A PENALTY. THE RESULTS DID NOT CONFIRM EITHER OF THESE HYPOTHESES. INSTEAD, THEY INDICATED THAT SUBJECTS WHO ANTICIPATED A PENALTY, IN COMPARISON WITH THOSE WHO ANTICIPATED NO PENALTY, CHOSE MORE ALTRUISTICALLY WHEN THEY LIKED THE OTHER PERSON AND LESS ALTRUISTICALLY WHEN THEY DISLIKED HIM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)