Specialized Skills: Having specific knowledge or training, such as medical expertise or emergency response skills, acts as a powerful dispositional trigger for helping. Professionals are more likely to intervene because they feel they have the necessary tools to change the outcome.
Reduction of the Bystander Effect: While the presence of others usually inhibits helping, expertise can override this social pressure. A person who knows exactly what to do feels a personal responsibility to act that an untrained bystander does not feel.
Confidence in Intervention: Expertise removes the 'fear of social blunder'—the worry that one might do more harm than good. This confidence allows the individual to bypass the hesitation typically seen in emergency situations.
Definition of Self-Efficacy: This refers to an individual's belief in their own capacity to execute behaviours necessary to produce specific performance attainments. In prosocial terms, it is the belief that 'I am capable of helping effectively'.
Predictor of Action: High self-efficacy is one of the strongest predictors of prosocial behaviour. Even if two people have the same physical skills, the one with higher self-efficacy is more likely to step forward because they trust their ability to handle the stress of the situation.
Resilience to Stress: Individuals with high self-efficacy tend to view difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than threats to be avoided. This mindset is crucial in high-pressure emergency scenarios where prosocial action is required.
| Feature | Dispositional Factors | Situational Factors |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Internal (Personality, Skills) | External (Environment, Others) |
| Stability | Relatively stable over time | Changes with the context |
| Example | Having a medical degree | Being the only person present |
| Focus | Who the person is | Where the person is |
Identify the Factor: In exam scenarios, always check if the prompt mentions a person's job, hobbies, or traits (dispositional) versus the number of people or the location (situational).
Explain the Mechanism: Don't just state that a nurse helps; explain why (e.g., expertise reduces the fear of making mistakes and increases perceived responsibility).
Avoid the 'Only' Trap: Be careful not to suggest that dispositional factors are the only reason people help. High-scoring answers often acknowledge that a person's disposition interacts with the situation.
Check for Self-Efficacy: If a scenario describes someone who feels confident or capable, use the term self-efficacy to demonstrate technical psychological knowledge.
