Question

Discuss Benevolent Selifishness and Selfishness and give examples. Are they prosocial behavior? How Benevolent Selfishness and Selfishness integrate to Kohlberg's moral reasoning and Piaget's preoperational thought.

Answer 1

Benevolent Selfishness is an act of selfishness in which the person gains something for their act of kindness or is an act of kindness with some motive for the self. For example- An individual would purchase a commodity of his use for a higher prize from a charity organization. Thus, the selfish interest of the individual that is the self satisfaction that he is doing something beneficial to the society, and also, the he gets a useful commodity. This is Benevolent Selfishness.

Selfishness is an act which centered around the interest of the self. It doesn't considers other goodness or benefits, rather, it is concerned with the benefit of oneself, even it may cause harm to others. Example- Leaving an individual leaving the aged parents at the mercy of the persons of old age home, because, he/she has no time to spare for them, and is busy in pursuing one's career goals and making money for the luxuries of the world.

Benevolent Selfishness is a pro-social behavior as it benefits the society, whereas, Selfishness is a pure act in the interest of the self,and do not promote any goodness for people around.

It is Benevolent Selfishness that makes children obey their parents, adhere to the instructions of the parents, as they believe that doing so would make them good and is good for others. This type of moral reasoning is prominent in Kohlberg's first stage and Piaget's preoperational stage. In this children have the idea that they would be punished for their wrong doing, hence, they act selfishly in their interest to avoid punishment. They act kindly, so that they may be called a good child this is benevolent selfishness.