I would like to highlight the effect of gender on the likelihood of receiving help.
Are females more likely to be helped than males? The answer is 'Yes', according to research done. Research has shown that men usually provide help to women in need. There are many reasons why men are forthcoming to help women. In most situations or in emergency instances, certain skills and knowledge are required whereby these skills and knowledge are more common among males than females. It is true most of the time in instances like changing of flat tyre or fighting off an attacker (there are cases where females are also equally able to, if not better, change flat tyre and to fend off any attacker).
More frequently, (younger) males help attractive rather than unattractive females. Researchers attribute the above to be primarily due to romantic or sexual attitudes and not entirely due to pro-social or altruistic reasons in these instances.
Is there anything such as pro-social behaviour where hidden agenda is not displayed when rendering help not only to the opposite sex but to all in general?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Pro-social behaviour – Likelihood of rendering help
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3 comments:
I think in our society now, women are as skilled in certain aspects. It just depends on the society that we live in.
Take myself for example, I am trained in first-aid, but if I am in a situation that I meet someone lying there unconcious, I will be afraid to approach. It is not that I am unwilling to help, but rather I am afraid. Afraid of what, you will ask? Actually, I am not sure too.
But it is also not true that men are more willing to help. Some would just stand there and watch. The reason they give is "I dont wanna get into trouble." Are these men considered as being cowards?
Anyway, in our society, women are being viewed as the weaker gender and that they need the protection of men. But it is just a matter of how you view yourself and those around you.
Just my ten cents view.
I think that unless the helping behavior will cause some discomfort, for people to misunderstand, or bring about death, no matter how we insist that we're helping with no hidden agenda, there'll be some. It might be to feel good, to not regret, to appear nicer to others, to want others to like us, blah blah blah blah...
I agree with what chrissy said. Even though you may be trained in certain field, but when you meet some emergencies, you tend to back off and wonder whether should you help or not. It happens now in our society. People are afraid of being liable for responsibilities if something bad happens. And not to forget the by stander effect as well.
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