Microsoft Word Chapter 1 done doc

 
 
 

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12 
 
 
PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR: MOTIVES AND 
RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY 
 
 
Unit Structure: 
12.0 Objectives 
12.1 Introduction 
12.2 Motives behind Prosocial Behavior 
12.3 Personality variables associated with Prosocial Behavior
12.4 Responding to an emergency
12.5 Crucial steps determine helping and non-helping 
12.6 Summary 
12.7 Questions 
 
12.0 OBJECTIVE : 
 
This unit will explain: 
• Why people help or do not help at the time of emergency. 
• What are factors determining Bystander’s response during
emergency. 
• Factors 
influencing helping behaviour. 
• Long term commitment to Prosocial Acts. 
 
12.1 INTRODUCTION : 
 
 
Hope you remember, the day of 26
th
July when Mumbai city 
faced deluge. Number of residential areas and roads were under 
water due to heavy rains. That was the time when so many 
unnamed people volunteered to help those who were stuck up in 
the heavy down pour. Remember a policeman and several others 
who lost their life while saving others. 
These are the actions that are described as prosocial 
behaviour. It refers to actions by individual that help others with no 
immediate benefit to helper; such actions are very common in our 
social life. People who engage in such behaviours do not gain 
anything in return. 

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In this chapter we will try to understand the reasons as to 
why people help each other. What are the motives behind such 
behaviours and in which situations they are more likely to help.
When do they help? When are conditions under which such 
helping behaviour occurs? Why some people are more helpful in 
comparison to others? 
In this unit we will understand: why people help? And 
Motives behind prosocial behaviour.