Effect Of Gender And Locality On Altruistic Behavior Among Adults

Effect Of Gender And Locality On Altruistic Behavior Among Adults
Abstract
This study investigated gender and locality on altruistic behavior among adults. A total of 100 participants comprising 50 males (25 rural and 25 urban), 50 females (25 rural and 25 urban) were used. The participants who were within the age range of 25-55 years has a mean age of 41 years. A 15 tem questionnaire designed to measure-altruistic behavior was used. A 2 x 2 factorial design was adopted based on 2 levels of gender as factor; male/female, and 2 level of locality as a factor; Rural/Urban areas. Hence two-way ANOVA – F Test was applied as a statistical test to analyze the data. However, the findings showed no significant effect of gender on altruistic behavior [F (1,96) = 1.13, P>.05]. There was a significant effect of locality [F (1,96) = 67.95 <.01]. Those in the rural area were found to have higher level of altruism than those in the Urban areas. There was no interaction effect of gender and locality on altruistic behavior [F (1,96) = 34.92 >.05]. The findings were discussed in relation to the literature reviewed and recommendations were also made.
Chapter One
Introduction
Background of the Study
We have considered whether helping could be a genetically transmitted product of evolution. But perhaps helping ruin in families rather than through the whole human race. Some individuals have a stronger genetically based prosperity to keep than do others. One of the classic puzzle about social behavior is why human perform action that keep society.
In 1944, a young Swedish diplomat named Raoul Wallenberg was sent into Baudapest, Hungary, with instructions from the Nazis. Wallenberg was an imaginative young man whose heroes were Charlie Chaplin and Mark brothers. Wellenberg decided to collect assortment of official-cooking Hungarcain documents, such as driver’s license and tax receipts, and try to pass them off to the German as “Swedish” protective “passports”. In a typical act of creative heroism, he dimmed? On top of a moving train carrying hundreds of Jews to the death camps. He then ran along the roof, dropping the passport through the air vent.
Finally, he ordered the train to stop and release all the “Swedish citizens”. Raoul eventually saved more than 100,000 women, men and children through creative but exceptionally risked actions as (Folge man 1944 Wellenberg, 1990). Another example of altruism is that of Suzu Valadez, the woman who bring food and supplies to people living near the mellican garbage dump. Altruism is a voluntary help fullness that is motivated by concern about the responsibility of personal reward (Midlarsky Kahana 1944).
Altruism as a prosocial behavior is voluntary action that benefits another person. Prosocial behavior can include; comforting, helping, rescuing sharing, and co-operating, (Elsenberg 1992). In general, prosocial children have parents who are nuturant and supportive, often providing a model of prosocial behavior Zahn and Smith (1992). For instance individual who were active in the civil right movement during the 1950’s and 1960’s were likely to have parents who had vigorously worked for social cases in previous decades (Elsenberg 1992). Batson (1995) aggress that altruism is often selfishly motivated. However, people are sometimes purely altruistic and not the least but selfish. Batson (1995) proposes that we often help other people because we experience empathy, which means that we feel the same pain, suffering, or other emotion that someone else feels for example, you may feel empathy for a friend who did not get the job he hoped for.
We mentioned that altruism is often selfish motivated, specifically, we may help other people for two major selfish reasons:
- We want to avoid the personal pain of seeing someone suffer or else the guilt of not helping someone in distress.
- We want to share vicariously the joy that someone feels when his or her life improves.
Notice, then that these reasons represent two different kinds selfishness, the first avoids personal pain and the second seeks out personal pleasure. Batson primary contribution is the research in altruism is that he has demonstrated how people can be altruistic when their empathy is roused, even when neither the “avoiding personal pain” nor the “seeking vicarious joy hypothesis can operate.”
Altruistic people were likely to come from families who encourage their children to think how their own action would have consequences for other people. This focus seems likely to encourage compassion. The parents themselves also served as model of altruistic behaviors. They encourage their children to ignore social class, race, and religion in choosing their friends. As a result, these same children grew into adult who could appreciate the similarities that bind all humans to one another. They are less likely to emphasize the kind of boundaries that separate “as” from “them”
Finally, it is obvious that we can be altruistic for a variety of reasons, we can be altruistic because we want to avoid personal pain and guilty, we are sometimes be altruistic because we want to experience vicarious joy. However, we can also be altruistic when neither of these more selfish rationales is relevant. Instead we help other people because we feel a bond with them. Our empathy is aroused, we want to reduce their distress and improve their lives.
In view of the above, the researcher want to investigate whether such factors like gender and locality will affect altruistic behavior among adults.
Purpose of the Study
The aims of this study are as follows!
- To determine whether gender will significantly influence altruistic behavior among Adults.
- To determine whether locality will significantly influence altruistic behavior among Adults.
Statement of the Problem
Often times, it perturbs me why we should not be our brothers keeper. However, I noticed that some individuals find it difficult to render help to others while very few see it as a way of life. Whenever I travel to the village, I noticed high degree of love from rural dwellers which I find difficult to see in the Urban areas. This gives me worry in addition to this, there is always an argument that males renders prosocial help more than female. In other to give answers to this opinion and also to know how much we help ourselves, the present study was born. It came to the pick when I asked why people find it difficult to help strangers, accident victims etc.
Therefore, the following problems would be addressed in this study.
- Will gender significantly influence altruistic behavior among Adults?
- Will locality significantly influence altruistic behavior among Adults?
Operational Definition of Terms
Altruistic Behavior:
An act of help in which the person doesn’t look for reward or the consequence. In this study participants who scores above 30 on altruistic behavior scale exhibits high altruistic behavior while score below 30 is a low altruistic behavior.
Gender:
Being male or female.
Locality:
Rural and Urban Areas.
Chapter Five
Discussion, Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
Discussion
The outcome of the study indicates that no gender differences were found to affect altruistic behavior, while locality as a factor yielded a significant outcome in relation to altruistic behavior.
Obviously the first hypothesis tested, stated that “There will be no significant effect of gender on altruistic behavior.” was accepted. This indicates that male and females were found not to differ significantly on altruistic behavior. In essence, male and females regardless of their locality tend to share the same or similar altruistic behavior. In other words, no significant gender differences was found to exist between males and females in relation to such altruistic behaviors, like comforting, helping, rescuring, sharing and co-operating.
Thus, the outcome of this study in relation to gender as a factor supports the views of earlier investigators like Eagle (1996) who observed that male and female are more similar than different when consider in overall altruism, though gender difference may arise in some situations.
Eagle (1996) reported that male were slightly mere helpful than female in their interaction with stranger, but the gender differences were inconsistent across studies. In addition, Kakovoulis (1998) reported that Children behave altruistically almost from birth, with a great variety of this feelings from 2-4 years. Mostly expressed towards loved persons and with no gender difference. In the same vein, Boster, Fredrick and Kolowski (2001) reported that altruism message was more effective than a direct request message, and a small sex difference. Skarin (2005) reported that altruism was found to increase markedly for both male and females in the oldest age group.
Thus, observation reveals that the outcome of this study is also similar to the findings of previous studies in relation to altruistic behavior.
However, the second hypothesis tested which stated that “There will be no significant effect of locality towards altruistic behavior among adults” was rejected. This means that a significant outcome was observed in relation to locality as a factor towards altruistic behavior among adults. Hence, locality as a factor was to found to affect significantly altruistic behavior, in that a significant difference was also observed between, urban and rural males and females. In other words, locality yielded a significant outcome regardless of gender as a factor. Thus, rural people are more altruistic than urban people. This particular finding is in consonance with findings of old researchers like, Terenzini (1993) reported that institutional and environmental differences appear to have little impact or changes in students’ attitudes, values, or principled of residence and the type of interaction with faulty and peer that the living situation promotes. In a similar case,
Bosworth et al (1994) reported that altruism and caring are construct of well-informed adolescents especially in the suburban areas Lannotti (1997) also pointed situational constraints as a factor to look into when assessing that influence of empathy on prosocial motivation, he further stated that analyzing empathy alone, would lead to a misunderstanding. In addition, Peterson and Reawen (1984) observed that parental limitation on children altruism are based on cogent rationales and are a direct function of the situation cost involved and the age and familiarity of the recipient. According to Schroeder et al, (1995). Altruism is more likely when people are not in rush, hurrying off to other pressing duties, and this is very common in the urban areas than rural areas.
Apparently, previous studies indicated numerous factors to be scientifically associated with altruistic behavior but the outcome of hypothesis II indicated significant outcome in relation to locality. Above all, one may observe that the significant outcome based in locality may be due to varying degree of differences between rural and urban attitudes values and beliefs.
Apart from the significant effect of locality in altruistic behavior, no significant interaction effect or gender and locality was found in relation to altruistic behavior among adults.
This means that an individual’s gender and likewise whether he/she residences in rural and urban community yield the same or similar degree of influence towards the level of his/her altruistic behavior.
In summary, the findings of this study indicates that gender as a factor yielded no significant difference but locality was observed to yield a significant outcome in relation, to altruistic behavior among adults.
Implications of the Findings
This study could not be better than now. The study showcased the level of altruism in our society.
This shows that most people in our society especially those living in the urban centers find it difficult to help.
Helping behavior is a welcome attitude that brings peace, unity and development in every society with the outcome of this study, stakeholders in the promotion of charity and helping behavior will know their target population as it relates to campaign for helping behavior.
In addition, the study has added volume to empirical studies on altruistic behavior. Above all, this study will also serve as a wake-up call for all and sundry to embrace altruistic behavior.
Limitations of the Study
This study has obvious limitations. First and foremost, only one hundred adults were used out of myriads of adults in Enugu.
In addition to that, attitude of some of the questionnaire especially the rural dwellers at the initial stage was not encouraging. Most were reluctant to responding to the researcher at the initial stage. Though this was overcome through rapport and confidentiality.
Another major factor that affected this study level of education. Because some of the participants from rural areas were illiterate, the researcher was subjected to translating some words and sentences in the questionnaire to Igbo language.
Finally, the problem of finance could not allow the researcher to use much rural dwellers. Above all, the time limit for study was very short. The study was carried during examination period. This could not allow the researcher to reach every areas that she ought to.
Suggestions for Further Research
Based on the findings of this study, the researcher hereby encourage future researchers to expand their study to other rural and urban areas with more population to ascertain the external validity of the result.
In addition, they should on the role of variables such as Socio-Economic status, level of Education, past negative experience in relation to altruistic behavior in exhibiting altruistic behavior. It is also important that future researchers study why people find it difficult to exhibit altruistic behavior.
Summary and Conclusion
The findings revealed the following;
- Gender did significantly influence altruistic behavior.
- Locality significantly influence altruistic behavior
Based on the findings of this study, the researcher hereby conclude that Gender did not significantly influence altruistic behavior among adult. Locality significantly influence altruistic behavior among adults with those living in the rural area been more altruistic than those living in the urban centers.
However, no interaction effect of gender and locality was found to exist between gender and locality on altruistic behavior among adults.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are hereby made;
That future researchers should carry similar study. In other localities to determine the cross-validity of this study.
Furthermore, religious leaders, and other stakeholder should see helping behavior as a priority and do everything within their range to propagate it. This can be done through seminars, workshops and conferences.
Above all, there is need to indicate moral education in our schools at all level with the aims of promoting moral and altruistic behavior.
We should also see ourselves as our brothers keeper. People should learn to help not only their relations but anyone who is in need whom he/she can afford to help.


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