Altruist by email. Who are altruists and who are egoists?

In the modern world, there is a stereotype that people have long forgotten what kindness and selfless help to others are. Everyone wants to benefit and is not ready to perform selfless acts.

But still, even in our difficult times, there are still people who are driven by an irresistible desire to help and please everyone, sometimes even to their detriment. This desire is called altruism.

An altruist is a person who is ready to give his love and kindness free of charge to everyone in this world.

Egoists and altruists are equally mistaken, for the goal of man is to serve world harmony.
Absalom Underwater

The main character traits of an altruist

Altruists also have innate modesty and do not like to talk a lot about themselves; they prefer to listen.

Altruists have a genuine interest in other people. They rejoice at other people's successes and are sad at other people's failures. They do not know what envy and self-interest are. In a word, they are absolute lovers of humanity.

Altruists can often be found in various charitable organizations. Since they are philanthropists, they take special care for the disadvantaged and needy people.

An altruist will give his last penny if he sees a beggar on the street asking for alms. At the same time, they experience enormous remorse if they still do not find an opportunity to help the disadvantaged.

Altruists are very honest people. They always keep their promises and do not waste their words. You shouldn’t expect betrayal and deception from such people.

Directions of altruism

The main types of altruism are:

Altruism of parents

Some parents, in their desire to raise a worthy person, go too far. They believe that they need to put their whole life on the altar of education.

Moral altruism

Generally accepted beliefs and behavior imposed by society encourage the altruist to commit highly moral acts.

Empathic altruism

They strive to earn trust and the right to friendship with him. Such altruists will always come to the rescue, will not leave you in trouble, you can rely on them.

Altruism from feelings of sympathy

Typically this type of altruism is observed in strong friendships.

Benefits of Altruism

So what do altruists get in return? What are the benefits of altruism?

• First of all, in the souls of altruists reigns harmony and freedom, which is very difficult to break. This state is achieved due to the fact that the altruist is surrounded by grateful people whom he himself made happy.
• Altruism gives a person confidence in himself and his abilities. When such a person manages to help someone or do something useful, he feels a surge of strength and readiness to continue along this path.
• Altruism also provides an opportunity for self-development and unlocking inner potential. Many people who find themselves in altruism perform actions that are not typical for them for the sake of other people or society.

Disadvantages of Altruism

The main negative aspects of altruism are:

• Altruists usually infringe on themselves and their interests for the sake of another person. This leads to devaluation of one's own life. It is also not uncommon for an altruist to choose one particular person or a certain group of people as an object for self-sacrifice. But at the same time, he forgets that there are other people around who also need attention and love.
• Sometimes altruists are too dependent on this feeling they get from helping others. This leads to exalting oneself and one's actions above others. Over time, such people perform all good deeds only in order to feel their superiority.
• An altruist suffers greatly when he fails to help a person or correct any situation. Such torment can lead to various nerve and mental disorders.

What do you need to do to become an altruist?

People who are characterized by selfish behavior can maintain this lifestyle for years. At first, they find many advantages in this attitude to life. They enjoy their independence and the benefits they receive. However, it often happens that at some point such people burn out. What used to bring them happiness ceases to please them.

In such a situation, it helps to perform at least one selfless act. But this is not so easy to do even for an ordinary person, not to mention inveterate egoists. So what does it take to become an altruist?

First of all, altruism is a huge amount of work on oneself and self-education. You can start small, gradually moving on to serious actions. For example, you can give alms to someone in need on the street or take an old woman across the road.

Having received the first satisfaction from gratuitous help, it will be easier and easier to do good deeds in the future.

Paying attention to people is a great way to become an altruist. A person who can understand the interests and feel the concerns of other people follows the path of altruism. First of all, you should be attentive to your family and friends.

Participating in various charity events as a volunteer would also be a great start. There you can not only provide all possible, selfless help, but also find support and understanding from fellow altruists.

Truly good deeds can make this world a better place. In addition, they bring a good mood and positivity to the person performing them.

Conclusion

Absolute self-sacrifice will not bring anything positive into your life. While helping others, do not forget about yourself and your interests.

Perhaps everyone has a little bit of altruism in them, even if they don't know it.
Veronica Roth. Divergent

Hello, dear friends and guests of my blog! Today I will touch on the topic of altruism, talk about the meaning of this word and give examples. An altruist is a person who acts selflessly, without expecting anything in return. It seems to me that this is very relevant now, and our society needs to awaken these wonderful qualities in itself. I hope my article will help you with this.

The meaning of the word altruist is completely opposite to the word egoist. That is, this is a person who cares about others, does things and actions that benefit society, even to the detriment of himself. This concept was introduced by the French sociologist Auguste Comte. In his opinion, the main principle of altruism is to live for others. Of course, I don’t really like the word damage, since unselfishness still means acting not from inferiority, but most likely from abundance. This abundance does not necessarily manifest itself in some kind of material wealth of a person, but rather it is an abundance of the soul and heart. In the article about I already touched on this topic a little.

There is a similar concept of philotropy (from the Greek love of humanity). Philanthropists are people who do charity work. The simplest form of philanthropy is to give alms to those in need.

The characteristic qualities of an altruistic personality are kindness, responsiveness, empathy, activity, compassion. For people prone to altruism, the heart chakra works well. Externally, they can be recognized by their eyes, which emit a warm radiance. As a rule, altruistic individuals are optimists. Instead of wasting time being depressed and complaining about the world, they simply make it a better place.

Examples of altruistic activities

The properties of altruistic actions may differ between genders. As a rule, in women they are longer in nature. For example, they often give up their career for the benefit of their family. Men, on the contrary, are characterized by momentary heroic impulses: to pull a person out of a fire, to throw themselves into an embrasure. As Alexander Matrosov and many other unknown heroes did during the Great Patriotic War.

The desire to help others is inherent in all living beings. This is true even for animals. For example, dolphins help their wounded brethren stay afloat; they can swim for long hours under a sick person, pushing him to the surface so that he can breathe. Cats, dogs, foxes, and walruses nurse orphaned cubs as if they were their own.

Altruism also includes volunteering, donating, mentoring (only on condition that the teacher does not charge a fixed fee for this).

Famous people are altruists

Some altruistic acts are so strong in their depth that they go down in history for a long time. Thus, during World War II, the German industrialist Oskar Schindler became famous throughout the world for saving about 1,000 Jews who worked at his factory from death. Schindler was not a righteous man, but to save his workers, he made many sacrifices: he spent a lot of money on paying off officials, and risked going to prison. A book was written in his honor and the film “Schindrer’s List” was made. Of course, he could not know that this would glorify him, so this act can be considered truly altruistic.

One of the real altruists is the Russian doctor Fyodor Petrovich Gaaz. He dedicated his life to serving humanity, for which he became known as the “holy doctor.” Fyodor Petrovich helped poor people with medicines and softened the fate of prisoners and exiles. His favorite words, which can be made a motto for altruists, are: “Hurry to do good! Know how to forgive, desire reconciliation, overcome evil with good. Try to raise the fallen, soften the embittered, correct the morally damaged.”

Well-known altruists include any spiritual teachers and mentors (Christ, Buddha, Prabhupada, etc.) who help people become better people. They give their time, energy, and sometimes even their lives, without demanding anything in return.

The best reward for them may be that the students accepted knowledge and embarked on the path of spiritual development.

Hidden motives

As I already said, our souls have a natural desire to take care of the world around us and people, because we are all interconnected. But sometimes the mind takes precedence over the impulses of the heart. In such cases, selfishness and concern only for one’s own good awakens in a person.

Let me give you an example. A young girl takes care of a sick elderly man, only because after that he will sign his house over to her. Can this be called an altruistic act? Of course not, because the initial goal that this girl pursues is not helping a person, but immediate benefit after that.

But sometimes people are driven to do good deeds by motives that may not be clear even to the altruist himself. Let's take a closer look at these hidden motives.

Self-promotion

Increasingly, good deeds (selfless at first glance) are performed with the aim of increasing one’s reputation. World stars have all taken up charity and other philanthropic activities. This motif is called the “potlatch effect”, in honor of the Indian ceremony of demonstrative exchange of gifts. When sharp conflicts arose between the tribes, a struggle for authority began, but this was an unusual battle. Each tribal leader held a feast to which he invited his enemies. He generously treated them and presented them with expensive gifts. In this way they showed their power and wealth.

Personal sympathy

The most common motive for altruistic actions is sympathy. People are more pleased to help those they like, their friends and loved ones. In some ways, this motive intersects with self-promotion, because one of its goals is to arouse the respect of people dear to us. But there is still a significant difference, because here there is love for one’s neighbors.

Ennui

Some people devote their entire lives to altruistic acts and service to society, without experiencing inner satisfaction and harmony. The reason for this is inner emptiness, so a person throws all his strength into saving the souls of others, so as not to hear the cry for help from his own.

True selflessness

True altruism has two important principles - selflessness and spiritual satisfaction from a good deed.

Let's consider this situation. A man on crutches walks next to you and drops his glasses. What will you do? I'm sure you'll pick them up and give them to him without the thought that he should do anything good for you in return. But imagine that he silently takes his glasses and, without saying a word of gratitude, turns around and leaves. How will you feel? That you were not appreciated and all people are ungrateful? If this is so, then there is no smell of true altruism. But if, no matter what, this act makes your soul warm, then this is sincere altruism, and not a manifestation of banal politeness.

A true altruist does not seek material gain (fame, honor, respect), his goal is much higher. By providing selfless help to others, our soul becomes purer and brighter, and accordingly the whole world becomes a little better, because everything in it is interconnected.

And in its highest manifestation, true altruism is serving God, and serving other living beings, through the prism of understanding that they are parts of the Lord, without expecting anything in return.

In order for selfish, selfish people not to “sit on the head” of an altruist, it is necessary to develop awareness in oneself. Then you will be able to distinguish between those who really need help from those who are just trying to take advantage of you.

Video

In conclusion, I want to tell you a story from the ancient Vedic scriptures that illustrates the manifestation of true altruism and selflessness. Watch the video.

Ruslan Tsvirkun wrote for you. I wish you to grow and develop spiritually. Help your friends with this and share useful information with them. If you have any clarifying questions, do not hesitate to ask, I will be happy to answer them.

Last update: 06/19/2015

What makes people risk their health and well-being to help other people? Why do people spend their time, energy and money trying to make the lives of others better, knowing that they will not gain any benefit from it? The desire to selflessly care for others implies altruism. Altruists do things simply out of a desire to help, rather than out of a sense of duty or commitment.

Our daily life is full of good deeds - sometimes someone will kindly hold your door, sometimes passers-by will give alms to someone in need.

The news often talks about more serious manifestations of altruism: people who dive into an icy river to save a drowning stranger, or generous benefactors who donate huge sums to various foundations. We are very familiar with the phenomenon of altruism, but social psychologists still don't know for sure why it exists. What inspires us to do such things? What motivates the characters in news stories to risk their own lives to save a complete stranger?

Altruism is one aspect of prosocial behavior. Prosocial behavior includes any action that benefits other people regardless of our motives or possible personal benefit. Remember, however, that only pure altruism involves true selflessness. It is also worth remembering that although all altruistic acts are prosocial in nature, prosocial behavior is not always altruistic.

For example, we help others for various reasons - out of guilt, obligation, duty, or even out of a desire for a future reward.

Reasons for the existence of altruism

Psychologists have proposed a number of different explanations for why altruism exists.

Biological reasons

Kin selection: We may be more attracted to those with whom we are related, as this makes it more likely that our relationships will persist. This is the only way we can pass on our genes to future generations.

Neurological causes

Altruism affects the internal reward centers in the brain. Neuroscientists have discovered that when a person selflessly does something good, the pleasure centers are activated.

Social norms

The rules, norms and expectations that exist in society can also influence a person's behavior. For example, the principle of reciprocity, in which we feel obligated to help others if they have already done something for us. If your friend lent you money for lunch a few weeks ago, you'll probably feel obligated to do the same for him - even when he asks you for a much larger sum.

Cognitive reasons

Although the definition of altruism implies a lack of reward, the phenomenon itself represents cognitive stimuli that are not obvious to us. For example, we may alleviate the suffering of others because good deeds confirm our view of ourselves as empathetic people.

There are other cognitive reasons:

• Empathy. Researchers including Batson et al. (1981) suggest that people are more likely to engage in altruistic behavior when they empathize with a person who is in distress. Batson suggests that both empathy and altruism are innate traits. Other researchers have found that children develop altruism along with empathy.
• Dealing with Negative Feelings. Other experts have suggested that displaying altruism helps combat the negative feelings associated with seeing a person in distress. In fact, when we see another person in trouble, we experience negative emotions - we are upset, we feel uncomfortable - so by helping a person, we help ourselves first of all.

Comparing theories

The main question that still plagues psychologists is: is there really “pure” altruism? Do we perform useful actions for truly altruistic reasons, or are we still always looking for hidden benefits for ourselves?

Batson suggested that although people often do good for selfish reasons, true altruism exists. Cialdini and others, on the other hand, have suggested that compassion for others often arises from a person's desire to help himself.

To understand the phenomenon of altruism, it is easiest to cite the opposite concept - egoism. Indeed, altruism and egoism are concepts that are always found side by side; they are often cited as an example in order to strengthen and brighten the meaning and principle of one of them.

And if egoists are considered people of not the best qualities, condemning their indifference to others, then altruistic behavior evokes admiration, joy and many other positive emotions in people.

After all, an altruist is a person who will help everyone, extend his reliable hand in difficult times, and will not leave you in trouble. He is not indifferent to the grief of others, and the problems of others are sometimes more important to him than his own. It is to him that people rush for help or even simple advice, knowing that this wonderful person will not turn away.

And the opposite of altruism, human egoism, is often considered a vice and condemned. However, sometimes altruism is confused with mercy, kindness, or even simple weakness. But in fact, it has some features, including:

• Selflessness - a person does his good exclusively for free, without expecting anything in return.
• Priority - other people's interests are always placed in primary place relative to personal interests.
• Sacrifice is the willingness to sacrifice one’s money, time, pleasure, etc. for the sake of others.
• Voluntariness - only a conscious and voluntary choice can be considered altruism.
• Satisfaction – a person derives joy and satisfaction from sacrificing for others without feeling disadvantaged.
• Responsibility - a person is ready to bear it by doing certain things.

The main principle of altruism, as defined by psychologist and philosopher Auguste Comte, is to live for the sake of people, and not for oneself. Such a person is selfless and does not expect anything in return when he does a good deed. He is not characterized by an egoistic type of behavior; he does not put his career, personal development, or any of his other interests first. Altruism can be an innate quality of character in a person, it can be acquired intentionally, or it can manifest itself over the years, and at any age.

Types and examples

Altruism involves selfless help, sacrifice and living for humanity. But there are a variety of types of altruism, which can complement each other, combined in one person, or can exist separately:

1. Moral (or moral). Such a person does good deeds for the sake of a feeling of inner peace and moral satisfaction. He helps poor people, is involved in active volunteer work, takes care of animals, participates in various social programs, doing a lot of selfless good.

2. Parental. This altruistic type is characteristic of many mothers, sometimes also fathers, and it manifests itself in sacrifice for the good of the children. This behavior is habitual and natural, but irrational. The mother is ready to give her life and all benefits for the sake of the child, she lives for him, forgetting about her own interests.

3. Social altruism is a type of behavior in which a person tries to show selfless support and help loved ones, that is, friends, family members, and people from close circles fall under the scope of his help.

4. The demonstrative type of altruism is a behavior scenario that is carried out not consciously, but because “it’s necessary.”

5. Sympathetic - perhaps the rarest type. Such a person knows how to empathize, acutely senses the pain of others and understands what others feel. Therefore, he always strives to help, to improve someone’s situation, and, which is typical, he always brings what he starts to the end, not limiting himself to partial help.

It is also characteristic that altruistic behavior often lasts longer in women than in men. Altruistic men are prone to spontaneous “outbursts” of goodness and mercy; they can commit a heroic act, risking their lives, while a woman will prefer to take responsibility for someone for many years, giving her life for another. However, this is only a statistical feature, not a rule, and examples of altruism vary widely.

There are many such examples in history. Among them, spiritual personalities especially stand out - Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa - the list goes on for a long time. They gave their lives from beginning to end to selfless service to people. Can you imagine that, for example, Buddha had some personal interests of his own?

On the way to perfection

Now, inspired by the examples, everyone will want to know how to become an altruist, what needs to be done for this? But before moving on to this issue, it is worth first clearly understanding whether it is good to be one hundred percent altruistic, whether there are disadvantages and hidden nuances to this quality, and what psychology says about this.

Most often, people who consider such a quality as selfishness to be vicious and bad deliberately strive for altruism. But if you think about what altruism and egoism are, it becomes clear that both of these qualities are to some extent natural and present in every personality.

Healthy egoism, shown in moderation, will not cause any harm and, on the contrary, is even necessary. Thinking about your own interests, protecting them, taking care of yourself, striving for benefits, development and personal growth, understanding your desires and respecting them - are these the qualities of a bad person? On the contrary, it characterizes a strong and conscious personality. Where did such a negative attitude towards selfishness come from?

Most often, a person who strives for his own good is condemned by people like him, but those who expect some kind of help from him (although he, in fact, is not obliged). Not getting what he expected, they begin to condemn him. And if this happens at an early age, when the personality and psyche are just being formed, then the result is obvious - the person blocks healthy egoism in himself, considering it a vice, and begins to live to his own detriment.

Of course, selfishness to the extreme does not bring anything good, because an absolutely selfish person is simply antisocial. But this should not mean that taking care of your interests is bad. So, the opposite of selfless altruism, in fact, does not contain anything vicious or bad.

And, since extremes are bad in everything, then altruistic behavior in the extreme degree of its manifestation is not necessarily holiness. Before becoming an altruist and rushing to help those in need, it is worth understanding your motives. Selfless service to the world and humanity must be precisely selfless, and this is not so easy. There are a number of hidden motives that psychology notes in manifestations of intentional altruism. In other words, this is the goal for which a person tries to do good deeds:

• Self confidence. By helping others, a person gains confidence in his abilities and feels that he can do something. It has been noticed that it is for others that a person is able to do more than for himself.
• Making amends for bad deeds. Sometimes people who are interested in altruism are those who have either done a serious bad deed, or have not lived entirely correctly for a long time and have caused a lot of pain to other people. It is very good if a person has come to such changes, but it is worth realizing that in this case you need to completely change yourself, and not count bad and good deeds, as if paying off your own conscience.
• Manifestation and assertion of oneself in society. If altruism has negative examples, then this is the case. Such a person demonstratively does good, and if he donates or engages in charity, he attracts as many witnesses as possible. Altruism, by definition, has nothing to do with self-interest, so such behavior is far from true sacrifice.
• Manipulation of people. Another negative example of how a person does good deeds for his own selfish purposes. He helps relatives and friends, does a lot for friends, is ready to help, but with the goal of manipulating them and receiving respect, dependence, and love in return.

The only goal, perhaps, that can be subconsciously pursued by a true altruist is a feeling of happiness and harmony with the world and with oneself. After all, even the meaning of the word “altruist” itself comes from “other,” that is, a person who thinks about others, so what kind of self-interest can we talk about!

And the desire to be happy is a natural and healthy desire that is characteristic of every harmonious, developing personality. And the best part is that altruistic behavior actually brings a feeling of happiness!

How can we begin to change, what rules of true altruism should we learn so as not to go to extremes, not to forget about our own interests, but at the same time receive happiness from helping others? The main thing is voluntariness and the absence of a clear plan. Just help someone in need, do it secretly without showing your achievement, and feel inner satisfaction. There are so many who need help!

You don't have to be rich to help. After all, in altruism, warm words of support, empathy, and attention matter. The most valuable thing you can sacrifice is your time! Don't forget about your loved ones. It is a very sad situation in which a person actively and fanatically helps the homeless, animals and the poor, spending all his time on this, while at home the family suffers from the lack of his attention. Give your soul to people, give yourself, and you will be surprised how much inner light you have, and how much you get by giving! Author: Vasilina Serova

Altruism is a principle of behavior according to which a person does good deeds related to selfless care and well-being of others. Altruism, the meaning of the word and its main principle are defined as “live for the sake of others.” The term altruism was introduced by Auguste Comte, the founder of sociological science. By this concept, he personally understood the selfless motives of the individual, which entail actions that provide benefits only to others.

To the definition of altruism by O. Comte, an oppositional opinion was put forward by psychologists who, with the help of their research, determined that altruism in the long term generates more benefits than the effort expended on it. They recognized that in every altruistic action there is a share of selfishness.

It is considered as the opposite of altruism. Egoism is a life position according to which satisfaction of one’s own interest is perceived as the highest achievement. Some theories assert that altruism is a certain form of egoism in psychology. A person receives the highest pleasure from the achievements of others in which he took a direct part. After all, in childhood, everyone is taught that good deeds make people significant in society.

But if we still consider altruism as the meaning of the word, which is translated as “another,” then it is understood as helping another, which manifests itself in acts of mercy, care and self-denial for the sake of another person. It is necessary that selfishness, as the opposite of altruism, be present in a person to a lesser extent and give way to kindness and nobility.

Altruism can be related to a variety of social experiences, such as sympathy, mercy, empathy, and benevolence. Altruistic acts that extend beyond the boundaries of family, friendship, neighbor, or any acquaintance relationship are called philanthropy. People who engage in altruistic activities outside of dating are called philanthropists.

Examples of altruism vary depending on gender. Men are prone to short-term impulses of altruism: pulling a drowning person out of the water; help a person in a difficult situation. Women are ready for more long-term actions, they can forget about their careers to raise children. Examples of altruism are displayed in volunteering, helping those in need, mentoring, charity, selflessness, philanthropy, donation and friend.

Altruism, what is it?

Altruistic behavior is acquired through education and as a result of individual self-education.

Altruism is a concept in psychology that describes human activity focused on caring for the interests of others. Egoism, as the opposite of altruism, is interpreted differently in everyday use, which is why the meaning of these two concepts is confused. Thus, altruism is understood as a quality of character, intention or general characteristic of human behavior.

The altruist may want to show concern and fail in the actual implementation of the plan. Altruistic behavior is sometimes understood as showing genuine concern for the well-being of others rather than one's own. Sometimes, it's like showing equal attention to your needs and to the needs of other people. If there are many “others”, then this interpretation will not have practical meaning, but if it refers to two, then it can become extremely important.

There is a difference between altruists; they are divided into “universal” and “reciprocal”.

“Reciprocal” altruists are people who agree to sacrifice only for the sake of those people from whom they expect similar actions. “Universal” – consider altruism to be an ethical law, and follow it, doing good deeds with good intentions towards everyone.

Altruism comes in several types, which can immediately be interpreted as examples of altruism. Parental altruism is expressed in an unselfish self-sacrificing attitude, when parents are completely ready that they will have to give material goods and, in general, their own life to the child.

Moral altruism in psychology is the realization of moral needs for the sake of achieving internal comfort. These are people who have a heightened sense of duty, who provide selfless support and receive moral satisfaction.

Social altruism extends only to people from the closest circle - friends, neighbors, colleagues. Such altruists provide free services to these people, which makes them more successful. Therefore, they are often manipulated.

Compassionate altruism - people experience, understand the needs of another, sincerely worry and can help him.

The demonstrative type of altruistic behavior is manifested in behavior that can be controlled by generally accepted norms of behavior. Such altruists are guided by the rule “that’s how it’s supposed to be.” They show their altruism in gratuitous, sacrificial acts, using personal time and their own means (spiritual, intellectual and material).

In psychology, altruism is a style of behavior and quality of character of an individual. An altruist is a responsible person; he is able to individually take responsibility for his actions. He puts the interests of others above his own. An altruist always has freedom of choice, because all altruistic actions are performed by him only of his own free will. The altruist remains equally satisfied and not disadvantaged, even when he sacrifices his personal interests.

The origin of altruistic behavior is presented in three main theories. Evolutionary theory explains altruism through the definition: the preservation of the species is the driving development force of evolution. Each individual has a biological program, according to which he is inclined to do good deeds that do not benefit him personally, but he himself understands that he is doing all this for the common good, the preservation of the genotype.

According to the theory of social exchange, in various social situations there is a subconscious account of the basic values ​​in social dynamics - information, mutual services, status, emotions, feelings. When faced with a choice - to help a person or to pass by, an individual instinctively first calculates the possible consequences of his decision, he correlates the effort expended and the personal benefit received. This theory demonstrates here that altruism is a deep manifestation of selfishness.

According to the theory of social norms, the laws of society insist that providing gratuitous assistance is a natural human necessity. This theory is based on the principles of mutual support of equals, and on social responsibility, helping people who do not have the opportunity to reciprocate, that is, small children, sick people, the elderly or the poor. Here, social norms are considered the motivation for altruistic actions.

Each theory analyzes altruism in many ways and does not provide a single and complete explanation of its origin. Probably, this quality should be considered from a spiritual perspective, since the theories described above are sociological in nature and limit the study of altruism as a personal quality and the identification of what encourages a person to act unselfishly.

If a situation occurs where others are witnessing the action, then the individual who performs it will be more willing to act altruistically than in a situation where no one is observing him. This occurs through a person’s desire to look good in front of others. Especially if the observers are significant people whose disposition towards him he accepts as very valuable or these people also value altruistic actions, the person will try to give his action even more nobility and demonstrate his selflessness, without expecting that he will be thanked.

If a situation arises in which there is likely to be a risk that refusing help to a particular person means that the individual will have to bear personal responsibility for it, under the law, for example, then he will, of course, be more inclined to act altruistically, even when he personally does not want to do.

Children mainly display altruistic actions through imitation of adults or other children. This is done before they understand the need for such behavior, even if others act differently.

Altruistic behavior, as a result of simple imitation, can occur in a group and subgroup in which other people who surround a given individual do altruistic acts.

Just as a person shows sympathy for people who are similar to him, he also reaches out to help such people. Here, altruistic actions are governed by the similarities and differences from the person of those whom he helps.

It is commonly believed that since women are the weaker sex, men should help them, especially when the situation requires physical effort. Therefore, according to cultural norms, men should act altruistically, but if it happens that a man needs female help, then women should behave altruistically. This is the motivation for altruism, based on gender differences.

This happens in situations where you need to help an individual of a certain age. Thus, children and elderly people need help much more than middle-aged individuals. People should show more altruism towards these age categories than towards adults who can still help themselves.

Aspects such as the current psychological state, character traits, religious inclinations relate to the personal characteristics of the altruist, influencing his actions. Therefore, when explaining altruistic actions, one must take into account the current state of the altruist and the recipient of his help. Also in psychology, personal qualities are determined that promote or hinder altruistic behavior. They promote: kindness, empathy, decency, reliability, and they hinder: callousness, indifference.