Psych 180 (Social Psychology) | 1st Semester, AY 2021-2022 Weekly Learning Journal

Weekly Learning Log 12

Your weekly learning journal is meant to assess your understanding and appreciation of the
lesson. You are expected to write 10 entries (corresponding to 10 modules) in your weekly
journal.

Name of Student: Francis A. Luna Student Number: 2018-09685

Week Number: Week 11 Topic: Helping

Instruction: Complete briefly and honestly each statement in relation to this week’s topic.
Submit your learning journal to our course site at the end of every module.

I used to think that helping is a natural response of any person to someone in need of
assistance. I thought that people would help regardless of the number of other people around
them. Helping is a direct response of anyone who can offer help in a any circumstance.

Now I know that there is the concept of bystander effect where the commitment of a person
to help is dependent on the number of people around. People are quicker to help and respond
when there are few people around, straying from the idea that they do not need to help
because someone near would do it eventually.

However, I am not sure if altruism is really an act of selfless. People help to satisfy their
concept of goodness to themselves. If helping others unconditionally is translated to self-
satisfaction, then are altruistic people really selfless? All I know is that there are people who
will really help sincerely without ill-intent and any expectations in return.

I hope/plan to assess myself more if I am altruistic. I love helping people, but I somehow
reflect the truth behind the bystander effect. It is hard for me to offer help since there are
people who takes it negatively, especially if they are thinking that you perceive them as week
and dependent of others.

Overall, I feel more knowledgeable on the concept of helping. It is really fascination to learn
from this topic based on practical situations, like in the bystander effect. I will do observe
more of these concepts in my everyday endeavors.

Adapted from:
Padilla, P. P. (2020). Weekly Learning Log Guide. Material created for the course EDR 221 (Literature-based Reading
Programs) 1st semester AY 2020-2021. UP Diliman.
Psych 180 (Social Psychology) | 1st Semester, AY 2021-2022 Weekly Learning Journal

Adapted from:
Padilla, P. P. (2020). Weekly Learning Log Guide. Material created for the course EDR 221 (Literature-based Reading
Programs) 1st semester AY 2020-2021. UP Diliman.