Staub Ervin, Vollhardt Johanna
University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2008 Jul;78(3):267-80. doi: 10.1037/a0014223.
Research on altruism has focused on its positive roots, whereas research on the effects of victimization and suffering has focused on aggression and difficulties in functioning. However, anecdotal evidence, case studies, and some empirical research indicate that victimization and suffering can also lead people to care about and help others. This article examines the relation of "altruism born of suffering" to resilience and posttraumatic growth, and proposes potentially facilitating influences on altruism born of suffering during, after, and preceding victimization and trauma. These include experiences that promote healing, understanding what led harm doers to their actions, having received help and having helped oneself or others at the time of one's suffering, caring by others, and prosocial role models. We suggest psychological changes that may result from these influences and lead to altruistic action: strengthening of the self, a more positive orientation toward people, empathy and belief in one's personal responsibility for others' welfare. The article critically reviews relevant research, and suggests future research directions and interventions to promote altruism born of suffering. Given the amount of violence between individuals and groups, understanding how victims become caring rather than aggressive is important for promoting a more peaceful world.
关于利他主义的研究聚焦于其积极根源，而关于受害和苦难影响的研究则聚焦于攻击行为和功能障碍。然而，轶事证据、案例研究以及一些实证研究表明，受害和苦难也会促使人们关心并帮助他人。本文探讨了“苦难中诞生的利他主义”与复原力和创伤后成长之间的关系，并提出了在受害和创伤期间、之后以及之前，对苦难中诞生的利他主义可能具有促进作用的影响因素。这些因素包括促进康复的经历、理解伤害者行为的原因、在受苦时得到帮助以及帮助过自己或他人、他人的关怀以及亲社会榜样。我们提出了这些影响可能导致的心理变化，并进而引发利他行为：自我强化、对他人更加积极的态度、同理心以及相信自己对他人福祉负有个人责任。本文批判性地回顾了相关研究，并提出了未来的研究方向以及促进苦难中诞生的利他主义的干预措施。鉴于个人和群体之间存在大量暴力行为，理解受害者如何变得有爱心而非具有攻击性，对于促进一个更加和平的世界至关重要。
