In LukasWallrich/StMarysSocPsy: Does not matter.

Altruism // close relationships

This week, we are looking at two separate but related topics - altruism and close relationship. With regard to altruism, we are often told that people are out to look for their self-interest, yet we can witness (apparently) self-less helping everyday. We will consider why that is, and how altruistic (or "pro-social") behaviour can be promoted.

Additionally, starting from the fact that (positive) close relationships have been shown to provide a huge boost to health and well-being, we will consider how they emerge. As part of that, we will consider how people select their (potential) romantic partners and discuss the broader social consequences of individual preferences.

Video lecture for this week

This week's lecture is split into four parts, that you should watch in order. In between, there are a couple of questions and tasks that will allow you to reflect on the content and explore the topic further. Make sure to answer the content questions before you move on - when you do the extension activites is obviously up to you.

You can download the lecture slides here

Self-interest and altruism

r video_code("j9Ayjgz3UtA")

Before you move on, take a moment to reflect on the content of the video and answer the following questions:

How would you use evolutionary, social exchange and empathy-based explanations of prosocial behaviour to explain in-group bias, i.e. the fact that people provide more help to members of their own social groups?
What is known as the bystander effect? r mcq(c(answer = "Often, individuals help less when there are many other potential helpers around", "Bystanders intervened in 90% of observed public conflicts", "Competing priorities - such as being in a hurry - reduce the likelihood of helping")) (Note that all statements are true.)

I would also encourage you to experiment with the impact of prosocial thoughts and behaviours on your own well-being. Usually, I would focus on getting you to perform random acts of kindness, but in Covid-times, loving-kindness meditation is an alternative that is contact-free. Have a look at the following and decide when you want to give either a go:

A list of ideas for random acts of kindness{target="_blank"} (not limited to the Random Acts of Kindness day, but not all are Covid-secure)
A guided loving-kindness mediation{target="_blank"}. It might sound esoteric, but give it a go (or search Google Scholar to find the evidence behind it)

Predictors of liking and attraction

r video_code("3JGV4u9kHcg")

Before you move on, take a moment to reflect on the content of the video and answer the following questions:

What is homophily? r mcq(c("A preference for same-sex partners", "The tendency to marry in-group members", answer = "The tendency to prefer friends and potential partners who are similar to oneself"))
Which of the following might explain why we like music better when we have heard it before? r mcq(c("Reciprocity", answer = "Mere exposure", "Personal preferences"))

Beauty - Myths & Debates

r video_code("MnHqJquC_3w")

Before you move on, take a moment to reflect on the content of the video and answer the following questions:

Think about the possible explanations for why we care about beauty: evolutionary processes, meaningful signals about personality, cues of conformity. Which do you think most explains your preferences? Which is most relevant across society?
Have a look at Dove's #MyBeautyMySay ad on Youtube{target="_blank"}. How does that relate to what I said about beauty? Why would a brand advertise like that? What is your personal reaction to the ad?

Maintaining close relationships

r video_code("Bhiv1MtV4uE")

Before you move on, take a moment to reflect on the content of the video and answer the following questions:

How would you explain the findings that social connections - and especially stable romantic relationships - are associated with sharply reduced mortality? If you want to find out more about that, you can have a look at this article{target="_blank"} on the brilliant Behind the headlines site created by the NHS that explains the science behind headlines
What are the key elements of love, according to Sternberg's triangular theory? r mcq(c("Liking, Exposure, Similarity", answer = "Intimacy, Passion, Commitment", "Values, Trust, Empathy"))

Recommended readings

Textbook: Chapter 9 on altruism{target="_blank"} and Chapter 8 on liking and loving{target="_blank"} in Principles of Social Psychology. You can also have a look at Chapter 13{target="_blank"} that discusses how people balance self-interest and concern for others.
Chapter 12 in Social Psychology: Revisiting the classic studies and/or Chapter 9 in Humankind
Review article on the costs and benefits of selfishness and 'otherishness' [@crocker2017social] that explores a wide range of factors that help explain when people behave selfishly or otherwise, and what the consequences of those behaviours are.
Journal article: especially if you are considering writing your essay on attachment, have a look at Girme's recent article on modeling non-linear relationships in this area [@girme2020step]. It is a bit complicated to read, but highlights a very common issue in psychological research (an excessive focus on linear relationships) and presents some novel findings.