(Download) "Promoting Altruism in the Classroom." by Childhood Education ~ Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Promoting Altruism in the Classroom.
- Author : Childhood Education
- Release Date : January 22, 2005
- Genre: Education,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 200 KB
Description
Pro-social behavior is described as "behavior intended to benefit another" (Eisenberg et al., 1999, p. 1360). Such behaviors may include comforting, sharing, working or playing cooperatively, and displaying empathy for others (Simmons & Sands-Dudelczyk, 1983), all of which have an element of altruism. Altruism is defined by Eisenberg et al. (1999) as "behavior motivated by concern for others or by internalized values, goals, and self-rewards rather than by the expectation of concrete or social rewards, or the desire to avoid punishment or sanctions" (p. 1360). Therefore, it is our contention that altruism is the purest form of caring--selfless and non-contingent upon reward--and thus the predecessor of pro-social cognitions and behaviors (Smith, 1976). While many character education programs focus on promoting pro-social behavior, the literature holds very few suggestions for specifically promoting altruism. This article will outline some hypotheses about the need to develop altruism as a base for pro-social behavior, describe how altruism develops, and propose strategies educators can use to foster altruism in the classroom. Many hypotheses have been proposed regarding the origination and nature of altruism; it is also debated whether an altruistic personality type exists and, if so, whether such a characteristic is stable over time and across situations (Eisenberg et al., 1999). Historically, research has centered on the reasons why a person is either a bystander or a helper in situations involving a stranger in need. Interest in altruism heightened after the fatal stabbing of Kitty Genovese, when 38 people either saw or heard her being attacked yet did not intervene (Dovidio, 1991). This phenomenon of not intervening became known as the bystander effect, wherein the diffusion of responsibility, brought on by being in a group, negates individual action to respond to a person in crisis.
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