Prosocial Behaviour: The Why, When, and Where’s of the Reason People Help
By Noah Frederick Sinagowitz
Junior Category (Grades 7-8)
Study | Psychology
In this study I examined the factors that would make a difference in a person helping another person or not. This included, who is more likely to help others and under what circumstances you are more likely to help others.
I used three different research methods: a social psychology textbook, peer reviewed articles, and an interview with a professor of social psychology at UBC. In my research I found ten different factors that can affect whether a person will help or not help another person. People are more likely to help if they are empathic or have a helpful personality. Men provide more heroic help and women provide more emotional help. People are more likely to help with fewer people in the vicinity and in a rural environment. People are more likely to help their relatives compared to strangers. People also help more when they are in a good mood than when they are in a bad mood, although guilt also promotes helping. People are more likely to help when there is a potential reward for their actions. It takes many steps from emergency to helping.
I concluded that in a situation where help is needed, it depends on the characteristics of the potential helper and in what environment the incident occurs. This will ultimately decide whether the person will receive help or not.
