Helping behaviors

Those that give unhelpful behavior, or simply do nothing, receive few or no rewards. Periodically, the strength of all classifiers is inspected and those of the lowest strength are discarded. In this way the classifier list gradually learns helpful behavior and shrinks toward a manageable size. 

Storytelling can suggest new. parsimonious explanations. Suppose that someone asserts that self-sacrificing or helping behavior is conclusive proof that not all action is self-interested or that emotional behavior is conclusive proof that not all action is rational.- One might conclude that there are three irreducibly different forms of behavior rational and selfish, rational and nonselfish, and irrational. The drive for parsimony that characterizes good science should lead us to question this view. Could it not be in one s self-interest to help others Could it not be... 

Co-workers reactions to new employees have been termed compensatory behaviors (Geller et al. 1996). These are behaviors which attempt to compensate for the fact that the employee is new to the job, and needs familiarizing with all aspects of the job. Of course familiarization is required in both directions the new employee will need to become familiar with all aspects of the job, including their co-workers behavior and attitudes, and co-workers will need to become familiar with the new employee s behavior and attimdes. The latter is particularly important for co-worker safety. New employees can be somewhat unpredictable in their behavior due to a desire to be helpful (Burt et al. 2014). Chapter 8 focuses specifically on helping behaviors which new employees may engage in and the risks these may pose to co-workers. In addition to unexpected helping behaviors, new employees can be unpredictable in how they work, and co-workers need to be veiy mindful of this. 

Oosterhof, A. Van, der Vegt, G., Van de Vliert, E., Sanders, K. (2009). Valuing skill differences Perceived skill complementarity and dyadic helping behavior in teams. Group and Organization Management, 34, 536-562. 

Fried, J. J. and Powell, R. A., 1985, Helping behavior in the pine vole Microtus pinetorum. Abstract, Natl. Conv. Anim. Behav. Soc.,... 

Carlson, M., Charlin, V., and Miller, N., Positive mood and helping behavior a test of six hy the-... 

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