Both pro-social and antisocial behaviors are voluntary actions, but the former is intended to benefit another person or group of people, while the latter seeks to harm or disadvantage another individual or group (Hyde, Shaw, " Moilanen, 2010). This discussion describes prosocial and antisocial behaviors depicted in two advertisements and two video clips and provides a theoretical explanation for the behavior. Dove’s controversial social advert the firm posted on its Facebook page in October 2017 depicts antisocial behavior. Microsoft’s inspirational Change the Odds advert exhibits prosocial behavior. The discussion focuses on two video clips - The bystander effect-people watch girl being abducted and bottle bank arcade – which depict antisocial and prosocial behaviors, respectively.
Microsoft’s advert is more prosocial as the company gives the young girls role models and makes them realize how women have immensely contributed to science and technology disciples. In the advert, Microsoft encourages the young girls to pursue STEM courses and provide them with tools and relevant experiences to foster their visions (Microsoft, 2017). Embracing these courses would empower women to find the cure for stubborn diseases like breast cancer or invent ideas that can potentially save lives. There has been a systematic underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Morganson, Jones, " Major, 2010). Therefore, this advert challenges women to overcome gender norms in the predominantly male-dominated area and “change the odds.” In the Bottle Bank Arcade, Volkswagen conducts a simple experiment to encourage people to recycle. Turning the regular bottle bank into arcade turned waste management into fun, consequently changing their behavior for better. The test was quite fruitful because people used a conventional bottle bank twice than the arcade machine during the same period.
Dove’s advert is more antisocial and particularly racist as it conveys a lack of consideration for the women of color. A black woman appears in the advertisement taking off a shift similar to her skill in an attempt to supposedly demonstrate that she had turned into white using Dove body lotion (Neff, 2017). The advert perpetuates antisocial behavior because the representation of the black woman is offensive, discriminatory and can cause distress to women of color. Similarly, people display antisocial behavior in the bystander effect video clip. The passersby blatantly ignore the little girl’s cries, walk across the street and even walk right past the perpetrator. They shockingly show no concern and lack of care for the young girl. Although some people showed some concern by repeatedly glancing back to assess the situation, the concern was extremely insignificant to prevent the kidnapping from happening. They were expected to act to save the child. Nonetheless, the two men display prosocial behavior by coming to the girl’s rescue at the end. The two men did not merely show concern but rather took action that was desperately needed.
Social learning theory offers a better explanation of antisocial and prosocial behavior. The theory holds that individual behave pro-socially or antisocially due to exposure role models who behave the same and thus, people model or imitate the models (Akers " Jensen, 2011). People may identify with or pay attention to the model’s prosocial or antisocial behavior. They may recall how the model displays these behaviors and if they can reproduce the behavior themselves and motivated to do so, they are likely to model the behavior (Akers " Jensen, 2011). For example, the passersby in the Bottle Bank Arcade observed others dropping used cans in the innovated arcade machine, and paid attention to this act. Because they were capable of reproducing that behavior and saw how others were thrilled (rewarded) by the new bottle bank, they were motivated to use not only the arcade machine but also the next conventional machine.
Television and movies can cause antisocial behaviors such s aggression and violence (Hogan, 2012). Equally, such media can teach or foster prosocial action as well. Media programs that frequently exhibit positive behaviors, such as empathy, friendliness, remorse, sharing, cooperation, acceptance, and self-control, may shape people’s perceptions and influence them to model or imitate such virtues. Research shows that media is a powerful means through which children and adolescents can learn prosocial, tolerant, and cooperative attitudes (Hogan, 2012).
References
Akers, R. L., " Jensen, G. F. (Eds.). (2011). Social learning theory and the explanation of crime (Vol. 1). Transaction Publishers.
Hogan, M. J. (2012). Prosocial effects of media. Pediatric Clinics, 59(3), 635-645.
Hyde, L. W., Shaw, D. S., " Moilanen, K. L. (2010). Developmental precursors of moral disengagement and the role of moral disengagement in the development of antisocial behavior. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 38(2), 197-209.
Microsoft Australia (March 7, 2017). #MakeWhatsNext: Change the Odds. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvwxbQsG_fs
Morganson, V. J., Jones, M. P., " Major, D. A. (2010). Understanding women's underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics: The role of social coping. The Career Development Quarterly, 59(2), 169-179.
Neff, J. (October 8, 2017). DOVE APOLOGIZES FOR THAT RACIST FACEBOOK AD. Accessed on http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/dove-apologizes-facebook-ad-racist/310802/
The Fun Theory (Producer). (n.d.). Bottle bank arcade [Video] | Transcript. Retrieved from http://www.thefuntheory.com/bottle-bank-arcade-machine
The Today Show. (n.d.). Bystander effect _x0096_ People watch girl being abducted [Video] | Transcript. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIvGIwLcIuw
