Bibliographic Information

Altruism in humans

C. Daniel Batson

Oxford University Press, 2011

  • : hardcover

Available at  / 4 libraries

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-268) and indexes

Description and Table of Contents

Description

We send money to help famine victims halfway around the world. We campaign to save whales and oceans. We stay up all night to comfort a friend with a broken relationship. People will at times risk - even lose - their lives for others, including strangers. Why do we do these things? What motivates such behavior? Altruism in Humans takes a hard-science look at the possibility that we humans have the capacity to care for others for their sakes rather than simply for our own. Based on an extensive series of theory-testing laboratory experiments conducted over the past 35 years, this book details a theory of altruistic motivation, offers a comprehensive summary of the research designed to test the empathy-altruism hypothesis, and considers the theoretical and practical implications of this conclusion. Authored by the world's preeminent scholar on altruism, this landmark work is an authoritative scholarly resource on the theory surrounding altruism and its potential contribution to better interpersonal relations and a better society.

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Part I: A Theory of Altruistic Motivation
  • 1. The Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis
  • 2. Antecedents of Empathic Concern
  • 3. Behavioral Consequences of Empathy-Induced Altruism
  • Part II: Empirical Evidence
  • 4. Turning to Experiments
  • 5. Testing the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis
  • 6. Two Further Challenges to the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis
  • Part III: Altruism in Action
  • 7. Benefits of Empathy-Induced Altruism
  • 8. Liabilities
  • 9. Toward a Pluralism of Prosocial Motives-and a More Humane Society
  • Summary and Conclusion
  • References

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Details

  • NCID
    BB09205954
  • ISBN
    • 9780195341065
  • LCCN
    2010021456
  • Country Code
    us
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    New York
  • Pages/Volumes
    vi, 329 p.
  • Size
    25 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
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