The odds of helping are highest when
- the person is an elderly man
- we are in a hurry
- we are feeling guilty
- we are focused on ourselves and preoccupied
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is 3. we are feeling guilty.
When we feel guilty, there is a strong emotional drive to alleviate that feeling by engaging in prosocial behavior, such as helping others. Guilt can motivate people to act in ways that make them feel better about themselves, and helping others is often viewed as a way to reduce or make up for the wrongdoing that caused the guilt. This can be especially powerful when someone believes that helping will compensate for or correct their mistake, even if it’s an indirect way of doing so.
In contrast, the other options are not as strongly associated with helping behavior. If the person in need is an elderly man (option 1), people might feel sympathy, but the urgency to help is less compared to the emotional urgency created by guilt. When people are in a hurry (option 2), they may feel less inclined to help because of the time pressure. People may prioritize their own tasks or goals over offering assistance to others when they are rushing. Additionally, when individuals are focused on themselves and preoccupied (option 4), they are less likely to notice the needs of others or feel motivated to help. The self-focus reduces the likelihood of empathy or concern for someone else’s situation.
Research in psychology supports that emotional states like guilt or empathy can trigger a higher likelihood of prosocial behavior. This phenomenon is part of what’s known as the “mood effect” on helping, where negative emotions, such as guilt, often increase the chances of someone taking action to remedy the situation by offering help.