|
Social Psychology Case Study 6.2 Adapted from a case study written by Erik Coats and Robert S. Feldman in Feldman, R.S. & Regan, P.C. (1995). Social Psychology: Student Workbook with Case Studies. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Ø This final case study is OPTIONAL. You may substitute your grade on this case study for the lowest grade earned on one previous case study. If you earned a low grade on a previous case study, it is to your advantage to complete case study 5. However, if you are satisfied with the grades you have earned thus far, you may opt to skip this case study. If you did not turn in one of the previous 4 cases, I strongly recommend you complete this one. You may prefer to earn additional points through extra credit opportunities. You are allowed up to 6 points extra credit for the course. · This case study assignment requires that you apply the ideas presented in Chapter 10 of the textbook. Read the case study carefully and answer the questions in detail. Follow the instructions for case study write-up distributed in class with the first case study. A copy of the instructions is on reserve in the library and on my web page www.lhup.edu/sboland. · Avoid quoting directly from the textbook -- write using your own words. Information or ideas taken from the text, even if rewritten in your own words, must be credited to the textbook authors by citing the authors (e.g., Brehm, Kassin, & Fein, p. 307). See the full instructions for more information about citing the text as a source. · If you have any questions regarding this assignment, please ask.
Case Study 6.2 (30 points): Is It Better to Give than to Receive?On the first Monday of every month, the Red Cross Bloodmobile came to campus to collect blood from donors. The Red Cross policy allows a person to give blood every other month allowing two months between donations. Henry, however, only goes about half that often, giving blood about every 4 months. But this Monday, being in a good mood, Henry decided to go and donate blood. "Hey Lori, hey Tom, how about giving me a ride to campus and giving blood with me," he yelled to his housemates. "It only takes about 20 minutes, and it might help save a life." "I'll give you a ride and wait for you, but no way am I going to give blood. No one is sticking me with one of those big needles," Lori yelled back. Henry teased Lori about her response, "Oh, I see. Is it that your blood is too good for the rest of us, or is this part of a larger selfishness?" "I do my part, Henry. I donate my time and I donate my money, but I'm under no obligation to donate my body," Lori said. Tom snorted, "I think you're just afraid it will hurt." "Well, Tom, what about you?" Henry asked. "Are you brave enough to give blood to help your fellow human beings?" "I don't know," Tom responded. "Monday's always bum me out, but maybe helping someone else will make me feel better."
1. How do social psychologists define altruism? Given that the Red Cross does not pay donors, does this act qualify as purely altruistic or might giving blood also have egoistic motivation? Suppose both Henry and Tom decide to donate blood, do you think their motivations are the same for doing so? Explain and defend your answer. 2. Could being in a good mood have influenced Henry's decision to visit the Bloodmobile? Describe the good mood effect. The text discusses two possible reasons behind the good mood effect. One possible reason is mood maintenance and the other is the occurrence of happy thoughts. Explain how these processes might increase helping. 3. Tom appears to be in a bad mood. What prediction would the negative state relief model make about the likelihood of Tom donating blood? Be sure you describe the model and clearly explain how it might apply to Tom's situation. 4. What is the empathy-altruism hypothesis? Use the hypothesis to explain the various responses of Henry, Lori, and Tom. (Your answer should include a discussion of how empathic concern and personal distress influence individual's motive to help.) 5. Workers at the Red Cross believe that people are more likely to donate if they know who benefits from their help. The workers know that the blood collected will primarily benefit two groups of people. One group consists of young accident victims brought into the emergency room of a local hospital. The other group consists of older alcoholics receiving blood transfusions as they wait for liver transplants. Which group will the college students be more motivated to help? Use the principles of attribution of responsibility, and similarity to support your answer. 6. Lori argues that she is under no obligation to give blood. If the person who needed blood was a close relative, might she feel differently? Apply the concept of kinship selection to describe how Lori's decision might differ if a relative needed a blood transfusion.
|
