Individual differences in helping dispositions

The intent of this report is to present research relevant to developing an instrument to assess helping dispositions (HDS). In its final form, 55 items can be dimensionalized into 20 component scales and 14 composite indicators of predispositions to help. Discriminations included in HDS include: psychological versus task help; helping in group settings versus helping in individual settings; and wanting to help, having the ability to help, being able to recognize when help is needed, having reasons for not helping, and actually helping. Evidence of both high internal consistency and different types of validity have been generated through four administrations of HDS involving a total of 611 college and noncollege subjects. The most robust scales appeared to be the motivation to help scales and the helping in group situations scale. Implications for further research are noted.