Mission Assignment #1

1/28/2013

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By Cody Barnes

A friend of mine was in need of a ride to work the other day.  He wasn't supposed to go into work that day but his manager had called him in.  Unfortunately, his car needed some work done and he decided to have it worked on that day because it was his off day.  As a result, he needed a ride and called for a ride.  If I hadn't been busy at the time and had more of a heads up, it wouldn't have been a real issue, but I was actually pretty busy at the time.  he offered money to compensate for the inconvenience, but I told him to keep it.  Instead, I told him I'd do it as long as he agreed to be there for me if I ever needed a ride.  Who knows what may happen in the future?  It's not unlikely that I will at some point in time need a ride somewhere at the last minute just like him.  So as long as he is willing to be there for me, despite short notice and being busy, I can also be there for him.  This is an example of me doing something prosocial for reciprocation.
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A New Cost of Helping?

1/18/2013

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This man helped save six children, is now getting harassed for it:


http://www.salon.com/2013/01/15/this_man_helped_save_six_children_is_now_getting_harassed_for_it/

There is a potential cost to helping others, but this is one we don't typically consider. 


Any thoughts?


Submitted by Dr. Beechler on 1/18/13.
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Welcome!

1/12/2013

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Welcome to our Topics: Prosocial Behavior course!  This course will study the research and theory on why we help.  We're going to look at several different theoretical perspectives, including social, personality, and developmental psychology.  Then we'll actually integrate two approaches to better understand a complex problem related helping. 

This is our class blog.  I will post different musings about the class when appropriate.  But you will also be given the opportunity to contribute to our blog!  Excellent Missions (and sometimes Article Summaries, if they are extra excellent) will be posted to the blog throughout the semester.  If your work is chosen, I will let you know.  You'll be given a few days to make any changes to your assignment, and you may also submit pictures, etc. that I will include for you on the blog.

This class will have different types of assignments:

  1. Article Summaries - You will be reading original articles and book chapters.  There is no textbook for this course.  To help you understand the articles, you will complete Article Summaries, in which you highlight the hypotheses and findings from each of the studies. You must be prepared to discuss these articles in class.
  2. Missions - You will complete six mission assignments over the semester, in which you perform different types of prosocial behaviors and then report on your experiences.  We will discuss in class the results of your missions.
  3. Presentation - You and another student will work together in integrating two areas in psychology to help answer a question about prosocial behavior that may be too complex to be understood with just one perspective.  These will be formal presentations - so look nice and rehearse!  Your presentations will be posted under the Student Presentations tab. 


This class is going to be a good deal of independent work... and interdependent work, too!  But it should be a lot of fun if we are all contributing regularly.  I am looking forward to having a fantastic semester with everyone.


-Submitted by Dr. Beechler on January 12, 2013








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    Author

    Dr. Michelle Beechler has her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Wayne State University.  For her doctoral dissertation, she studied prosocial behavior using an integrative psychological approach, which is the inspiration for her Prosocial Behavior class. Dr. Beechler will also invite student guests to write blogs, and encourages all students to read, enjoy, and comment!

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