Theories of A1Truism and Behavior Modification Campaigns

Abstract

Adam Smith wrote that it was self-interest, not benevolence, that caused the butcher, baker, and brewer to supply our dinner, yet we regularly observe examples of altruistic behavior within the marketing system. Indeed, society expects individuals to exhibit prosocial, altruistic behavior. Is the modern marketing system contributing to a decline in altruism? Is there a theory of altruism that helps explain the effect of the marketing system on altruistic behavior? This article attempts to answer these questions by integrating and unifying theories of altruism that come from sociobiology and from psychology, sociology, economics, and marketing. This theory is used to explain the lack of success of public behavior modification campaigns.