Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Perceptions of self-oriented and other-oriented “everyday” helpers

  • Article
  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In two investigations, participants were asked to evaluate eight different young adults (Study 1) and children (Study 2) who had described (a) a situation in which they had offered assistance to another individual and (b) the reason why they had offered the assistance in that situation. Although other-oriented helpers and their motives were generally rated more favorably than self-oriented helpers and their motives, participants' evaluations were found to be influenced by the closeness of the helper-recipient relationship, the type of help provided (i.e., instrumental vs. expressive), and the participants' gender. A similar pattern of responses was found for the undergraduate (Studies 1 and 2) and preadolescent (Study 2) participants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Argyle, M. and Henderson, M. (1984). The rules of friendship. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 1,211–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, M. A., Quackenbush, S. W. and Sinisi, C. S. (1995). The role of critical experiences in moral development: Implications for justice and care orientations. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 17, 137–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, M. A., Vitaglione, G. D., Bartel, J. S., Valdez, B. S., Steadman, L. A. and Harper, K. K. G. (1998). Perceptions of self-oriented and other-oriented help-providers. Current Psychology, 17, 170–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basow, S. A. (1992). Gender: Stereotypes and roles(3rd Ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batson, C. D. (1987). Prosocial motivation: Is it ever truly altruistic? In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 20, pp. 65–122). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batson, C. D. (1995). Prosocial motivation: Why do we help others? In A. Tesser (Ed.), Advanced social psychology (pp. 333–381). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batson, C. D., Dyck, J. L., Brandt, J. R., Batson, J. G., Powell, A. L., McMaster, M. R. and Griffitt, C. (1988). Five studies testing two new egoistic alternatives to the empathy-altruism hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55, 52–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Batson, C. D., Sager, K., Garst, E., Kang, M, Rubchinsky, K. and Dawson, K. (1997). Is empathy-induced helping due to self-other merging? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73,495–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batson, C. D. and Weeks, J. L. (1996). Mood effects of unsuccessful helping: Another test of the empathyaltruism hypothesis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 148–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bern, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berndt, T. J. (1982). The features and effects of friendship in early adolescence. Child Development, 53, 1447–1460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berndt, T. J. and Perry, T. B. (1986). Children's perceptions of friendships as supportive relationships. Developmental Psychology, 22, 640–648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berndt, T. J. and Perry, T. B. (1990). Distinctive features and effects of early adolescent friendships. In R. Montemayor (Ed.), Advances in adolescent research. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B. (1991). Altruism or egoism? That is (still) the question. Psychological Inquiry, 2, 124–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B., Brown, S. L., Lewis, B. P., Luce, C. and Neuberg, S. L. (1997). Reinterpreting the empathy-altruism relationship: When one into one equals oneness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73,481–494.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B. and Kenrick, D. T. (1976). Altruism as hedonism: A social development perspective on the relationship of negative mood state and helping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 907–914.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B., Schaller, M., Houlihan, D., Arps, K., Fultz, J. and Beaman, A. L. (1987). Empathy-based helping: Is it selflessly or selfishly motivated? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 749–758.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, M. S. and Mills, J. (1979). Interpersonal attraction in exchange and communal relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 12–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, M. S., Mills, J. and Powell, M.(1986). Keeping track of needs in exchange and communal relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 333–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, M. S., Ouellette, R., Powell, M. C. and Milberg, S. (1987). Recipient's mood, relationship type, and helping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 94–103.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Damon, W. (1977). The social world of the child. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • DePaulo, B. M. and Kashy, D. A. (1998). Everyday lies in close and casual relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 63–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eagly, A. H. (1987). Sex differences in social behavior: A social-role interpretation. Hillsdale: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N. (1982). The development of reasoning regarding prosocial behavior. In N. Eisenberg (Ed.), The development of prosocial behavior (pp. 219–250). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N. (1986). Altruistic emotion, cognition, and behavior. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N., Lennon, R. and Roth, K. (1983). Prosocial development: A longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 19, 846–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, J. D., Nadler, A. and Whitcher-Alagna, S. (1982). Recipient reactions to aid. Psychological Bulletin, 91, 27–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W. and Bierman, K. L. (1984). Children's conceptions of friendship: A multimethod study of developmental changes. Developmental Psychology, 20, 925–931.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galotti, K. M., Kozberg, S. F. and Farmer, C. M. (1991). Gender and developmental differences in adolescents' conceptions of moral reasoning. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 20, 13–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women's development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartup, W. W. (1996). The company they keep: Friendships and their developmental significance. Child Development, 67, 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hazan, C. and Shaver, P. R. (1994). Attachment as an organizational framework for research on close relationships. Psychological Inquiry, 5, 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heyman, G. D. and Gelman, S. A. (1998). Young children use motive information to make trait inferences. Developmental Psychology, 34, 310–321.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, M. L. (1989). Empathy and prosocial activism. In N. Eisenberg, J. Reykowski and E. Staub (Eds.), Social and moral values (pp. 65–86). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, J. G. and Rempel, J. K. (1989). Trust in close relationships. In C. Hendrick (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology: Vol. 10. Close relationships (pp. 187–220). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hornstein, H. A. (1978). Promotive tension and prosocial behavior: A Lewinian analysis. In L. Wispe (Ed.), Altruism, sympathy, and helping: Psychological and sociological principles (pp. 177–203). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hume, D. (1963). A treatise of human nature. In V. C. Chappell (Ed.), The philosophy of David Hume (pp. 11–312). New York: Modern Library. (Original work published 1739).

    Google Scholar 

  • Huston, A. C. (1983). Sex-typing. In P. H. Mussen and E. M. Hetherington (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology, Vol. 4: Socialization, personality, and social development (4th ed., pp. 387–468). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalkoske, M. S. (1993, March). Sex differences in moral orientation: Results from an examination of concurrent correlates. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, New Orleans.

  • Keasey, C. B. (1977). Children's developing awareness and usage of intentionality and motives. In C. B. Keasey (Ed.), Nebraska symposium on motivation (Vol. 25, pp. 219–260). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, D. L. and Van Hesteren, F. (1994). The development of altruism: Toward an integrative model. Developmental Review, 14, 103–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laurenceau, J., Barrett, L. F. and Pietromonaco, P. R. (1998). Intimacy as an interpersonal process: The importance of self-disclosure, partner disclosure, and perceived partner responsiveness in interpersonal exchanges. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1238–1251.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lerner, M. J. (1982). The justice motive in human relations and the economic model of man: A radical analysis of facts and fictions. In V. J. Derlega and J. Grzelak (Eds.), Cooperation and helping behavior: Theories and research (pp. 249–278). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuire, A. M. (1994). Helping behaviors in the natural environment: Dimensions and correlates of helping. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 20,45–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mills, J. and Clark, M. S. (1982). Exchange and communal relationships. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (pp. 121–144). Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parks, M. R. and Floyd, K. (1996). Meanings for closeness and intimacy in friendship. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 13, 85–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1965). The moral judgment of the child. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reis, H. T. and Shaver, P. (1988). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In S. Duck (Ed.), Handbook of personal relationships (pp. 367–389). Chichester, England: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rempel, J. K., Holmes, J. G. and Zanna, M. P. (1985). Trust in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 95–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenrade, P. A., Batson, C. D., Brandt, J. R. and Loud, R. E. (1986). Attachment, accountability, and motivation to benefit another not in distress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 557–563.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selman, R. L. (1980). The growth of interpersonal understanding. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, A. (1966). The theory of moral sentiments. New York: A. M. Kelley. (Original work published 1759).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T. and Helmreich, R. L. (1978). Masculinity and femininity: Their psychological dimensions, correlates, and antecedents. Austin: University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, H. S. (1953). The interpersonal theory of psychiatry. New York: W. W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, 1100 Mid-Campus Drive, 66506-5302, Manhattan, KS

    Mark A. Barnett, Guy D. Vitaglione, Jeffrey S. Bartel & Fred W. Sanborn

Authors
  1. Mark A. Barnett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guy D. Vitaglione
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jeffrey S. Bartel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fred W. Sanborn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barnett, M.A., Vitaglione, G.D., Bartel, J.S. et al. Perceptions of self-oriented and other-oriented “everyday” helpers. Curr Psychol 19, 87–109 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-000-1006-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-000-1006-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation