Prosocial
Behavior that benefits others or society as a whole, often at some cost to the individual. Includes cooperation, helping, sharing, and other actions that support group welfare.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 3 chapters:
"They lead not through constant displays of dominance, but through selective intervention, coalition maintenance, and what primatologists call "prosocial dominance" - power exercised for group benefit rather than personal gain. The data challenges our assumptions: In Frans de Waal's six-year study..."
"...own: Large groups require sub-hierarchies, coalitions, or status signals to replace individual recognition 12. Tolerant alphas last 4× longer**: Prosocial hierarchy maintenance (coalition support) more stable than despotic (suppression) which requires constant energy input 13."
"...e seen: Status, reputation, and conspicuous conservation." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(3), 392-404. [Costly signaling in human prosocial behavior] References [References to be compiled during fact-checking phase. Key sources for this chapter include [RELEVANT TOPICS based on chapt..."
Biological Context
Prosocial behavior poses an evolutionary puzzle: why help others if it costs you? Explanations include kin selection (helping relatives), reciprocity (expecting future returns), and group selection (benefits to group outweigh individual costs). Prosocial behavior is essential for complex societies.
Business Application
Organizational prosocial behavior: employees helping colleagues, sharing knowledge, contributing to shared resources. Prosocial cultures outperform selfish ones but require mechanisms to prevent exploitation.