Altruism

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that altruism can be motivated by an incredible variety of different factors, including empathy, guilt, heredity, childhood experience and a need for self-actualization. The author points out that altruism also can be viewed from an evolutionary perspective in which natural selection most likely favored reciprocal altruism. The paper asserts that, through all the deterministic factors that shape altruism, human beings still have some capacity to freely choose to love and care for another human being simply because they recognize the common humanity that we all share.

From the Paper:

"Unfortunately, altruism and empathy are often limited by our inability to recognize ourselves in those who are different from us. For example, people in Western countries became much more interested in donating money to the Southeast Asian tsunami relief efforts only after reports of Western tourists who had been affected by the disaster began to surface. Although we should be able to empathize with people based solely on the emotions we all share, people tend to feel the need to identify with a person in some other way before they experience empathy on a level deep enough to create altruism."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Batson, C. Daniel, et al. "Issue 17: Does True Altruism Exist?." Taking sides: Clashing views in social psychology (2nd ed.). 348-371. New York, NY, US: McGraw-Hill, 2007. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Long Island University Library, Brooklyn, NY. 6 Aug. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com.cwplib.proxy.liu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2006-05848-017&site=ehost-live>.
• Cotton, Kathleen. "Developing Empathy in Children and Youth." [Online] Available http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/7/cu13.html, Aug. 6, 2008.
• Eayrs, Caroline B., and Nick Ellis.. "Charity advertising: For or against people with a mental handicap?." British Journal of Social Psychology 29.4 (Dec. 1990): 349-366. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Long Island University Library, Brooklyn, NY. 6 Aug. 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com.cwplib.proxy.liu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=1991-15692-001&site=ehost-live>.
• Feldman, Robert S. Essentials of Understanding Psychology Seventh Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008, pp. 183, 316-317, 386, 547-548.
• Glanzrock, Paul. "In praise of guilt." Psychology Today. Jul./Aug. 1994. [Online] Available http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-19940701-000022.html, Aug. 6, 2008.

More papers on Altruism:

• Persuasive Essay # 129818 : "The Nature of Altruism"
• Analytical Essay # 136833 : "Altruism and Modern Living"
• Term Paper # 121641 : "Reciprocal Altruism"
• Persuasive Essay # 94220 : "Altruism"

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