Prosocial behavior

Prosocial behavior consists of behaviors which are judged to be of social benefit to a particular community, communities, or value system. Behaviors judged to be destructive, on the other hand, are generally considered to be antisocial behaviors.

Definitions

"voluntary actions that are intended to help or benefit another individual or group of individuals"
(Eisenberg & Mussen 1989, p. 3)

Examples

Barn raising is an example of prosocial behaviour.	Sharing fish; an example of prosocial behaviour.
Blood donation is an example of prosocial behaviour.	ISAF soldier helping an Afghan kid, 2005.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest privately-run philanthropic foundation in the world. It aims to spend all of its US$39 billion in the next 100 years.	Gandhi writing, 1942. Gandhi inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Is civil disobediance prosocial or antisocial?
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a Christian story about compassion which has had significant cultural influence.	Mother Theresa - was she genuinely altruistic?

See also

Wikiversity

• Altruism
• Keywords
• Prosocial behaviour (Lecture notes)

Commons

• Category:Helping
• Category:Prosocial behavior

Wikipedia

• Prosocial behavior (Wikipedia)

Topics

• Bowling Alone
• Bystander effect
• Kohlberg's stages of moral development