Suppose Dan is late for a very important meeting. As he runs toward his car, he sees a woman using crutches who has dropped a large stack of papers onto a busy sidewalk. Dan feels a great deal of empathy for this woman because he remembers how tough it was when he had to use crutches a couple years before. According to the empathy-altruism hypothesis, Dan will __________.
A) help her pick up the papers because he knows that she and other people around them will think he's a nice person
B) help her pick up the papers because he wants to reduce his own and her distress
C) help her pick up the papers because he wants to feel good about himself
D) not help her pick up the papers because he knows how long it takes to pick up papers

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the empathy-altruism hypothesis, Dan will help the woman pick up the papers because he feels empathy for her situation and wants to reduce his own and her distress, even though it may cause him inconvenience or potential lateness for his meeting. This hypothesis suggests that true altruism stems from a motivation to reduce the suffering of others, rather than to benefit oneself.

Suppose Dan Is Late for a Very Important Meeting