Altruism: Why We Give, Why Term Paper

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"The Envelope. In your mail, there's something from UNICEF. After reading it through you correctly believe that, unless you soon send in a check for $100, then, instead of each living many more years, over thirty more children will die soon" (Unger, 1996:9, cited by Gordon, 1998). But people throw the UNICEF envelope out and buy a new pair of shoes instead.

Evolutionary theory states that the altruistic impulse has survived because it is helpful for the species to survive (Lecture notes: Module Six, 2007:1). However, this does not explain why some people are generous in some instances, and less generous in others Social learning theory postulates we learn from our culture and family -- firefighters may have seen altruism championed within their family, while the New York unspoken code of 'look away' in the face of crime, don't make eye contact or get involved is an accepted cultural norm of selfishness (Lecture notes: Module Six, 2007:2).

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Sociocultural theories suggest similarly that expectations leads those who are professional helpers should help, or those who are able-boded should help -- or at least donate blood to the cause of the fallen of 9/11. But only social-cognitive theory suggests that very personal variations of self-image are equally important, putting more of a personal 'spin' upon the altruistic impulse, and explaining why selfishness and altruism can exist in tandem in the same person. This image and these expectations of why and when we should help may vary from person to person within a culture and situation to situation (Lecture notes: Module Six, 2007:3-4). For example, a firefighter whose self-image is that of a masculine lifesaver may risk his life to save a strange child in a.....

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