Survey: Public Opinion on Effective Altruism

Effective altruism is a philosophical and social movement that advocates “doing things simply out of a desire to help, not because one feels obligated to out of duty, loyalty, or religious reasons.” It entails acting out of concern for others’ well-being.

Some acts of altruism have led people to put their lives in danger in the name of helping others in the past. Such actions are often carried out selflessly, without regard for reward. Meanwhile, instances of reciprocal altruism entail taking actions to help others with the expectation that they will return the favor someday.

However, most of our everyday lives are filled with countless big, small, and tiny acts of altruism, from holding the door for strangers to donating money to those in need. The media frequently highlight acts of altruism that are grander in scale, such as a man diving into an icy river to rescue a drowning stranger or a donor who donates thousands of dollars to a local charity, or a family who gave up their life savings to help an ailing stranger.

While all altruistic acts are prosocial in nature, social psychologists have observed that not all prosocial behaviors are entirely altruistic. Prosocial would mean that they benefit others regardless of motivation or how the giver benefits from the action. In some cases, one may assist others for a variety of reasons, including guilt, obligation, duty, or even monetary compensation.

Even though altruism has existed since the very wake of civilization, physiologists developed the specific concept during the 2000s, and the term “effective altruism” was coined in 2011.

However, there are many who oppose selfless altruism citing the risks and dangers it could bring, whereas others support the concept and even practice it regularly.

Real Research intends to find out people’s awareness of the concept and their views on the same. Hence, hurry and answer the survey seeking “Public Opinion on Effective Altruism” on the Real Research app from December 26, 2022. After that, you will receive 60 TNCs as a reward.