Abstract
Although the positive traits and qualities that compose heroism such as courage, bravery and empathy have received research support, little experimental research has directly investigated the perception of heroic acts. The primary purpose of the current research was to address this gap in the literature by investigating a basic question about a central defining feature of heroism, namely the risk of potential harm. A related objective was investigating how implicit theories of personality and moral character influence perceptions of heroism, particularly as it relates to risk of harm. Results revealed how incrementally escalating the level of risk to the actor can transform an otherwise prosocial behavior into heroism through separating altruism from heroism. Implicit theories impacted perceptions of heroism consistent with the theorizing behind entity/incremental orientations, and produced an interactive effect with the situational manipulation through information about the particular level of risk differentially affecting entity and incremental belief systems.
Highlights
Given the origins of the word hero (Hero Etymology, 2012) it is not surprising that a heroic act is typically associated with some degree of danger or a martial act in performing the prosocial behavior to help others in need
The fact that the risk of harm is on the low end of the manipulated range before the conversion to heroism occurs appears to indicate that even a low possibility of jeopardy can confer the status of “hero”
This study assessed the relationship between the situational constraint of risk of harm and the personality trait of implicit theories in their impact on perceptions of heroism
Summary
Given the origins of the word hero (from Greek meaning hero, warrior, protector, defender) (Hero Etymology, 2012) it is not surprising that a heroic act is typically associated with some degree of danger or a martial act in performing the prosocial behavior to help others in need. In modern use a hero has evolved beyond physical and dangerous acts to include a wider variety of positive action (e.g. social sacrifice, a whistle blower, or a religious figure) (Franco, Blau, & Zimbardo, 2011) This is reflected in the traits and virtues associated with heroes that can range from courage and empathy (Staats, Hupp, & Hagley, 2008) and bravery (Gaster, 1987) to honesty and hopefulness (Staats, Wallace, Anderson, Greesley, Hupp, & Weiss, 2009). Beyond the connection of heroism to these same positive character traits that are focal to research in Positive Psychology, the concept of a hero is so central to modern society that there has been suggestion that we possess a basic hero archetypal theme or schema (Maloney, 1999), and this is supported by research showing children as young as 5 or 6 years old have developed basic hero classifications and exemplars (White & O’Brien, 1999). The lack of research establishing the essential nature of these criteria further encumbers the progression of research on heroism, because the various definitions involve conflicting criteria
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