Prosocial Behavior, Equity, and Justice

Abstract

The term prosocial behavior refers to acts that benefit others. This domain includes behaviors, such as donating to charity, sharing, helping others with small tasks, and intervening in emergencies. The label prosocial is a rough description of a group of externally similar behaviors that may stem from qualitatively different motives. In the study of prosocial behavior, three areas seem particularly relevant to considerations of equity and justice—sharing and distributing resources, compensatory helping, and reciprocity. This chapter presents the structure of resource allocation, reviews compensatory helping, and discusses prosocial reciprocity. A substantial amount of research indicates that people may behave prosocially to maintain equity and justice in interpersonal relations. The relationship between prosocial behavior, equity, and justice is far from perfect. Prosocial behavior may produce inequities; and inequities may be redressed through antisocial behavior and psychological advices.