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Altruism

Altruism

Altruistic behaviors are “unselfish” behaviors—those that help another individual at the expense of the individual carrying out the behavior. Despite the negative consequences for the altruistic animal, these behaviors are thought to have evolved for several reasons.

Egoism and Altruism

Egoism and Altruism

Voluntary behavior with the intent to help other people is called prosocial behavior. Why do people help other people? Is personal benefit such as feeling good about oneself the only reason people help one another?

Inclusive Fitness

Inclusive Fitness

Most altruistic behavior—in which one animal helps another at a cost to themselves—occurs between relatives. Scientists think these altruistic behaviors evolved because they increase the inclusive fitness of the animal providing help.

Empathy

Empathy

Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.

Professional Values

Professional Values

Nurses are responsible for caring for patients during birth, death, illness, and healing. Professional values guide the decisions and actions that nurses make in their careers. If nurses know the decisions and actions to take, providing patients with exceptional care is possible.
The values that are the foundation of the nursing profession are altruism, autonomy, human dignity, and social justice.
First, altruism refers to the concern for the welfare and well-being of others without personal...

Fundamental Attribution Error

Fundamental Attribution Error

According to some social psychologists, people tend to overemphasize internal factors as explanations—or attributions—for the behavior of other people. They tend to assume that the behavior of another person is a trait of that person, and to underestimate the power of the situation on the behavior of others. They tend to fail to recognize when the behavior of another is due to situational variables, and thus to the person’s state. This erroneous assumption is called the fundamental attribution...

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Altruism.

Constance L Milton¹

¹Department of Nursing, The Master's College, Santa Clarita, CA 91321, USA. constancemilton@yahoo.com

Nursing Science Quarterly

|July 4, 2012

Summary

This column explores the philosophical origins of altruism in nursing, examining its role as a core professional value. It discusses implications for current nursing practice and education, considering various theoretical perspectives.

Area of Science:

Bioethics
Nursing Theory
Philosophy of Science

Background:

Altruism is recognized as a professional value in nursing.
Understanding its philosophical underpinnings is crucial for current practice.

Purpose of the Study:

To discuss the philosophical origins of altruism as a normative bioethical concept.
To explore the implications of these origins for contemporary nursing.
To examine alternative definitions and meanings from a nursing theoretical perspective.

Main Methods:

Philosophical inquiry into the concept of altruism.
Analysis of its normative bioethical dimensions.
Exploration of nursing theoretical frameworks.

Main Results:

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The concept of altruism has deep philosophical roots in bioethics.
Its application in nursing practice and education requires careful consideration of its origins.
Alternative nursing perspectives offer nuanced understandings of altruism.

Conclusions:

A deeper understanding of altruism's philosophical origins can inform nursing values.
Re-evaluating altruism through nursing theory enhances its practical and educational relevance.
Further exploration is needed to refine the definition and application of altruism in nursing.