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Why People Might Be Reluctant to Alleviate the Suffering of Others

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Alleviating World Suffering

Part of the book series: Social Indicators Research Series ((SINS,volume 67))

Abstract

Why is it that some people do nothing to help others who are suffering? This chapter offers seven answers to the question, all of which have received considerable attention in the social psychological and sociological research literature. Each answer indicates areas that may be relevant to policy making and possibly productive self-examination that could increase the numbers of people acting to alleviate suffering. The seven categories, ordered on a continuum of resistance from easiest to overcome to most difficult to overcome are (1) not knowing what to do, (2) fear of being inadequate or making mistakes, (3) diffusion of responsibility for hel** others in need, (4) obliviousness to the suffering of others, (5) defensive reactions to the suffering of others, (6) reluctance to pay the cost (in money, effort, time, and reputational risk) that could be involved in hel** others, and (7) not caring. A major implication of this analysis is that policies and people can change in ways that lead at least some people to take more active and proactive steps to alleviate peoples’ suffering.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA

    Paul C. Rosenblatt

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  1. Paul C. Rosenblatt
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Correspondence to Paul C. Rosenblatt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sociology, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Ronald E. Anderson

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Rosenblatt, P.C. (2017). Why People Might Be Reluctant to Alleviate the Suffering of Others. In: Anderson, R. (eds) Alleviating World Suffering. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 67. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51391-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51391-1_11

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