Posted on Monday, October 3, 2005
Dr. Sherri Pataki, visiting assistant professor of psychology at Westminster College, recently presented her research, "Communal Strength and Judgments of Altruism, Selfishness, and Guilt," at the American Psychological Association Convention in Washington, D.C.
"This research addresses the issue of human motivation and suggests that our actions are evaluated differently depending on our relationship to those we choose to help," Pataki said. "We found that people are perceived more positively when they help people outside of their immediate circle of friends and family than when they help their own families or close friends. We also found that failure to provide help outside the context of one's own close relationships has fewer negative repercussions, whereas failure to provide help within one's own family and among close friends is viewed more negatively."
Pataki, who has been with Westminster since 2004, earned her undergraduate degree from Allegheny College, and her Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University.
Contact Pataki at (724) 946-7361 or e-mail patakisp@westminster.edu for more information.
