Psychology

Altruism is a term to define the social act done selflessly for the benefit of another person usually at the cost of the well being of actor. Biologically speaking, it is the behaviour by an individual that increases the condition of another while lessening the fitness of the doer (Bell, 367)

PART 1
The movie Pay it Forward by Director Mimi Leder (2000) is actually an inspiring story of 12 year old boy named Trevor who took a social studies assignment too seriously and had everyone involved during the whole process. It was an assignment of how to help change the world inspired by the quote written on the board think of some way to change the world  and put it into Action. The social studies assignment was given by his teacher, Mr. Simonet. He took into consideration the effort that would be put into the assignment and had little regard on the kind of outcome it would bring. To both the teacher and mothers surprise, Trevor develops a pyramidal method of encouraging others to do the same. One could say that it was like thinking outside of the box. This was emphasized by the argument between him and Trevors mother, Arlene, when she realizes that Trevor had brought in a homeless stranger, Jerry, in her house in an attempt to change the world.

Trevor is the only child of a recovering alcoholic and possesses an idealistic view of the world. Meanwhile, his mother Arlene is trying to recover from alcohol and is working two jobs in order to pay the house bills. Having the words of Mr. Simonet in mind on Trevors way home, he drives by the dumpster where he sees a group of homeless people and his idea of Paying it forward comes to mind.

Pay it Forward is the name of his social studies assignment that works on a pyramidal scheme wherein the act of goodness or Altruism begins with one person to other individuals on the condition that they pay forward a good deed to three other individuals each and so on. In the movie, the movement begins with Trevor as he helps Jerry, a homeless drug addict, by providing him his garage to sleep in. Consequently, Trevor passes on the vision of paying it forward to Jerry. The vision worked under the idea that instead of paying back the good deed done by another person, one should pay a good deed forward to another individual. Trevors next target was to help Mr. Simonet by pairing him with Arlene, whom as the story progressed had a growing romantic relationship.

According to Bowlby, Attachment is defined as the bond that forms between two people giving the feeling of a lasting psychological connectedness (194). Mr. Simonet and Arlene grew attached to one another as they considered each other as a source of comfort and safe haven. Both would go out on dates to maintain proximity, a characteristic of attachment. And for a time when Trevors father returns and conflict arose between Mr. Simonet and Arlene, they both felt the separation distress from being apart. Moreover, they also provided comfort for each other especially during the time when Trevor had died at the end of the movie from doing an act of altruism.

PART 2
Psychological Altruism works under the concept of an inclination or intentional motivation to help others for their own sake. It is a behaviour that could seem detrimental for the actor but is still beneficial psychologically as one gains pleasure and approval from others. Trevor, regardless of his selfless act, had gain approval from his mother, his teacher and oneself. He was motivated to do other pay it forward deed in the effort of putting is idea to work.

Emotional Altruism is another aspect of altruism focusing on the consequences rather than the intention of the individual. It is a behaviour that reduces the well-being of the actor while increasing the fitness of the other. When Trevor, in his last attempt to pay it forward, tries to save a friend from bullies and loses his life in the process as he got stabbed, he presented altruism regardless of his own safety.

Altruism need not be too big that would cause someone to end ones life. By definition, it is any kind behaviour towards others or helping behaviour that shows little regard towards oneself. With this in mind, all the favours that Trevor for Jerry, Mr. Simonet, and his friend, was an act of altruism and was exemplified by the fact that he was killed in the end. He had the intention to improve someone elses life which is something that cannot be done easily by children. Who knew that a 12 year old can make a change in the world by doing small acts of kindness towards random people and in the process inspiring others with the ideologies that he had gotten in a social studies class.

PART 3
The reason why Trevors plan grew to be a success lies under the social psychological concepts of Reciprocity and Social  Responsibility Norm. These two are the norms for helping.

According to Fehr and Gachter (2000), Reciprocity norm is the expectation that one should return help and not harm those who have helped us (159). Trevor believed in the idea of gratitude and that it is a normal behaviour to feel the need to reciprocate another good action in exchange for the good deed done by the other individual. Yet, in order for his plan to affect most people, he used this idea to his advantage by integrating it with the Social  Responsibility Norm. It is defined as the norm that tells us to help others when in need without expecting anything in return. This was the motto taught by Mr. Simonet at the start of his class as he wanted to teach his class to help by changing the world even when the world cannot repay them. Trevor, while helping Jerry and as he continued to inspire other people, emphasized the condition that they have to reciprocate the selfless act to other people and because instead of paying back, they should pay it forward they should not expect anything in return.

Persuasion played a big factor in the spread of paying it forward. Other than the need to reciprocate a good deed, it was important to convince someone else of the goodness of the idea behind selfless act. Mr. Simonet convinced Trevor that it is possible to change the world as a little child. Trevor in return convinced Jerry and eventually when the plan had reached around the country he was able to convince the rest of the world.

A good selfless act needs be big enough as much as it only directly affects one person it should be hard enough to be done to be able to make an impact on someone such as giving up a car to a total stranger. This act will cause a huge feeling of gratitude towards someone else and it continues on from one person to another. This is Trevors idea of altruism.