Prosocial Behavior / Responding

Prosocial behavior or prosocial responding is voluntary action intended to help/benefit another, including acts of kindness, compassion, and sharing — like helping a friend with homework or move furniture, donating money or time, comforting someone, or working with others on a community project. Influencing factors: empathy (can help people develop prosocial behaviors), closeness, and situational awareness (notice a situation, decide it’s an emergency, and feel responsible for helping). Research suggests prosocial behaviors can have positive health benefits and are a positive quality of human nature. Also see Helping Behavior