Why do people help? The Bystander Effect . Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. Social psychologists study the circumstances in which people offer help to others. “Volunteer work improves access to social and psychological resources, which are known to counter negative moods,” the study read. Reminding people of their moral responsibilities to help those in need, telling people how to help, and making the victims more human also increase helping behavior. Researching genetic and social determinants of loneliness References: Batson, C. D. (1997). ” is a great way get back to feeling like yourself, according to research from the University of Texas. Various theories explain the psychology of helping – is it intrinsic, or self-motivated, or is it influenced by other variables? Make sure people understand that a psychological reaction is normal; Launch a specific website to address psychosocial issues; Research shows that people are less likely to offer help to someone in distress if other people are also present. cide to help, they took significantly longer (M 5 73.3 s) to help the victim than those who played a nonviolent game ( M 5 16.2 s), F (1, 70) 5 6.70, p < .02, p The helping behaviour is a concept in social psychology which believes that a person voluntarily gives assistance to others, without regard as to whether a reward is expected in return or not. “Working for a social cause or purpose with others who share your values and are trusted partners puts you in contact with others and helps develop a greater sense of community,” he noted. Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Helping others through caregiving or volunteering also helps people feel less lonely. Make sure self-help interventions are in place that can address the needs of large affected populations; Educate people about the expected psychological impact and reactions to trauma if they are interested in receiving it. This is called the bystander effect. Volunteering combats depression. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being. Much research is currently in progress on linking helping to other positive psychological characteristics like gratitude and forgiveness. Working with pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.