23.2k views
3 votes
Who will we help? Helper dispositions (aside from internal and external rewards)

User Vijay DJ
by
8.3k points

2 Answers

5 votes

Final answer:

The question addresses the contrasting perspectives on why individuals help others, differentiating between internal helper dispositions and external factors. It emphasizes the concept of attribution theory in social psychology and provides examples such as concessions of salaries and help finding work for the poor.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question deals with the motivations behind helping behaviors and how individuals attribute actions either to internal dispositions or external circumstances. This is part of a broader discussion in social psychology known as attribution theory. When considering helper dispositions, we are looking at the internal reasons a person might have to help others, such as personality traits, values, or beliefs that make them inclined to provide assistance.

However, the explanation behind an individual's actions can diverge depending on the perspective. For instance, actors (people engaging in the behavior) might attribute their own actions to situational factors, while observers (people watching the behavior) may explain those same actions as stemming from the actor's dispositions or character. This reveals a complex interplay between internal and external factors when it comes to helping behaviors.

Examples of helping behaviors include the concession of salaries to public functionaries, help finding work for the poor, land grants for dispossessed villagers, and public assistance for war widows, invalids, orphans, and indigents. These actions can be motivated by a range of factors, reflecting both internal dispositions and the impact of societal context and pressures.

User Dr VComas
by
7.6k points
5 votes

Final answer:

Helper dispositions refer to the intrinsic traits that influence individuals to aid others, driven by internal rewards like personal satisfaction. Contrastingly, external reasons for helping may involve social recognition or financial gains. Public assistance programmes address various needs, aligning with both dispositional and external motivations for helping behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The context of helper dispositions, it's essential to consider the underlying motivations and characteristics that drive individuals to assist others. Human behavior in offering help can be driven by both internal and external factors. Helper dispositions refer to the intrinsic characteristics, such as empathy, moral principles, and the desire to act for the benefit of others, which influence a person's tendency to provide aid.

Dispositions lead some people to provide assistance due to internal rewards, such as a sense of satisfaction, fulfillment, or adhering to their ethical standards. On the contrary, external explanations for helping behavior might include social recognition, financial incentives, or conformity to societal expectations. Public assistance programmes like 'concession of salaries to public functionaries,' 'help finding work for the poor,' and 'land grants for dispossessed villagers' often recognize and address these external factors, serving to meet the needs of specific groups such as war widows, invalids, orphans, and the indigent.

User Shoby
by
7.9k points