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In a study published online in the Journal of Positive Psychology, researchers found that humble folks are more likely to offer help to someone in need, compared to those who are, well, arrogant.
The study findings are “surprising,” because most studies on helping behavior have focused on situations, rather than personality variables, says psychologist and lead author Jordan LaBouff, Ph.D. of the University of Maine, who worked on the study while at Baylor University in Texas. Although being “agreeable,” has some effect on helpfulness, the study results did find that humility trumped it. The critical finding of that study was that humility predicted helping even when social pressure to help was minimal, LaBouff says.
The researchers designed three separate studies, involving more than 300 students from Baylor University.
In the first study, participants were asked to complete an online survey, which included rating measures of helpfulness, as well as what social scientists call the Big Five personality dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, among other tests. After controlling for “agreeableness,” participants who reported themselves as humble also reported they were helpful.
To avoid self-reporting bias, the researchers then measured humility using tests that that would help avoid creating the appearance of humility. Participants listened to a recording describing a fellow student who was injured and needed help. They were then asked how many hours over the next three weeks they would be willing to meet with the student to provide aid. Results showed the humble would devote nearly twice as many hours, compared to the arrogant.
In the third study, participants were asked to associate as quickly as possible traits that applied to themselves. Again, humility was associated with amount of time offered to help a student in need.
Although social scientists can’t agree on a definition of humility, making it one of the most under-studied personality traits, they do agree that “... helping one another is the cornerstone of human relationships,” LaBouff says.
Now, with data showing that humility predicts helpfulness, ongoing research could focus on whether humility can actually be “cultivated,” and whether humble folks have a leg up on the arrogant in other contexts, such as scientific and medical advances or in leadership roles, says co-author Wade C. Rowatt, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University.
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The Religious Right are anything but humble.
"The study findings are “surprising,” because most studies on helping behavior have focused on situations, rather than personality variables, says psychologist and lead author Jordan LaBouff, Ph.D."
Why yes what a "surprising" difference! (sarcasm) Situations never affect personality do they? I know I see arrogant beggars and winos all the time while "lead authors" are usually real humble and don't attempt to make their "findings" appear like something they're not because of their own egos and need for attention.
Being "Religious" and/or politically "right" is not a measure of whether someone believes in Christ.
"Judge not, lest you be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
Peace, and have a good day.
I have a bunch of uppity religious people in my family and have heard them use that statement. Rest assured that whole statement is a form of being judgemental. Those people are normally the most judgemental of all. I always think "you first a$$hole"
That's one of the biggest statements taken out of content and misapplied. Ideally, we are forbidden to "judge" or more rightly "condemn" another person or the value of a person and their worth as human beings.
We "judge" people's actions daily all the time - stealing is against the law, uniforms must be worn properly in certain jobs - who would "trust" by sight a doctor treating you who was dressed in rags and covered in tatoos? Unless they knew the doctor's skill personally, most would be leary. We even have a court system where the jury "judges" the actions of the accused and offers a verdict based on evidence.
We run into problems - which is what the quote really means - when we "judge" someone's basic value as a human being as being less or inferior to ourselves or other people. A child lost in a upper class neighborhood gets more attention than a child lost in the slums. Why? Because some consider that the "value" of a person is based on their wealth, status, who they know, how they dress, etc.
Real Humility is the ability to see ourselves and other people as we really are - full of flaws, but also full of promise and each one of us having an inherent basic value and dignity because we are human beings.
Amen to that brother!
Not surprising. It is the 'unsung heros' of the world who get things done and do for others. It is not the celebrities who do a 'photo-op' for the publicity and adoration and false belief that they are important. The humble, meek, and mild are truly the ones who help others and DO NOT ask for recognition, etc.
Wish this article had defined what is "humility". Is it someone who does not brag? Is it someone who does great things and never tells anyone? Is it someone who blushes when praised. What is humility really?
They said in the article, humility is not well studied, maybe because humble people tend to fade into the background and aren't as flashy as people with more extroverted traits. It's been my experience that in fact humble DO do more direct help, often at cost to themselves, for others.
to find out how the researchers defined humility, one would need to read the original scientific article published in the Journal of Positive Psychology. It's always a good idea to read the original research rather than summaries written by journalists. These kinds of summaries prepared for popular media are generally written to create a story, not to clearly and accurately explain the research.
I married a "humble" man -- in fact, one of the rectors at our church said that he was the most humble person she had ever met.... I agree. He's also one of the first to offer to help, always ready to lend a helping hand.
Humility always trumps pride. It is after all the ONLY thing that keeps the human race from annihilating itself. My dad and brother are overflowing with pride and all that pride has turned them into unbelievable dumbasses, thinking they can abuse drugs without consequences, thinking that the law somehow does not apply to them, and my brother now thinks he can magically invent a new kind of soils that can replace all fertilizer and never erode all on his own for less than 10k, what fukin dumbasses and they owe it all to pride.
Good study! Not shocking at all though! Being humble allows one to think outside of the selfish bubble most people are in. I'm around too many people who only think of themselves and talk about themselves. How can one learn anything if all they talk about is themselves?? People get too carried away with impressing others all the time. I can see why this personality trait would be more likely to help others because they can truly see when others need help!
I'm pretty quiet, so people think I come across as arrogant. My problem, is nobody asks me for help, which I will go out of my way to do, given I have the time and know how. I'm not going to work on your furnace or cut your hair, because I'd probably blow up the house or shave your head...but most other things I'm game for.
Having worked with volunteers at Humane Societies for many years, there is absolutely NO surprise here .
The most humble give the most of their own time and effort to really change the world for the better.
Being humble is an age old virtue. A wise man is a humble man.
There are many scientists and doctors with a 130 IQ who are not humble, it takes an Einstein or a Newton with a genius IQ to really see the humility light
The force of creativity never manifests itself in arrogant people. It prefers even those with self esteem problems to the vain
Beethoven, Wagner, Schubert would angrily disagree with you.
While I am not surprised at the findings of the study, I am bothered by the word "arrogant". I think prideful would be more appropriate word. Everyone is not arrogant, but a lot of people are very prideful. One thing a lot of people should think about is where would Jesus be and what would He be doing if He were on earth today? He was homeless, poor and he seeked out the poor and afflicted. Please be careful who you judge and who you do not help. You never know who it might be....Blessings in Christ+
You would think being humble would be a sure fired trait of helpfulness....NOT SO MUCH! My brother-in-law recently came back from Africa and moved in with us. He is an American and follows Islam religion and makes prayer 3 times a day. I have to cook his food differently than ours because he doesn't eat pork. Yet the other day he wanted to eat a biscuit off of my left-over breakfast plate that was sitting against a piece of pork sausage! My husband and I are Christians. My brother-in- law eats out of old aluminum tin pans left over from old pies and cakes. He drinks out of jars that I saved to safely discard old cooking oil. It really burns my britches seeing him do this because we have good plates and glasses that we use. Now, the dish rack stays full of these raggedy items. Yesterday, I asked him why he has to eat out of old pans and jars and he stated...."it makes me feel humble." I don't agree....it makes him look humble! These are the facts; the other day I was cleaning the refrigerator and accidently pulled out the crisper bin full of veggies. I struggled getting the bin back into the groves while he stood at the sink pretending not to hear me or see me. I could literally touch him and he never turned around and offered a hand of help. A few years ago my husband had neck surgery and my bother-in-law came because he wanted to be there for him and said he was concerned. We had a hospital bed in the basement and before my husband got out of the hospital I went down and struggled to bring it upstairs. The springs were made of steel. I had to literally drag it upstairs one step at a time while my brother in-law sat in the dinning room pretending to be busy with his lap top....and ignoring me. He dirties up the kitchen and leaves everything undone including peelings, tops off jars, cabinet doors open and food on the floor. Then he sits around and waits for me to get home from work to cook his meal while he sits around eating it out of tin pans and jars pretending to be humble. He fasts' twice of week until 5 pm. then devours everything in the refrigerator and cabinets without a thought for leaving my husband or me any. It is ridiculous while he walks around so pious and humble. I don't agree with this analogy in fact my advice is to avoid the humble schenick and find a person who is upfront about their willingness to help or lack there of. I'm walking a fine line with my situation because I’ve notice that if I mention my personal observations to my husband he gets offended. Now, I'm dealing with that too. You know what they say about company and fish.....well I've got a real stinker and that’s not helping me!
I find this situation you describe as very interesting. Several years ago I broke my leg rather badly. It was a freak accident, but required a steel plate and 10 screws to hold my leg together. Just before surgery, I was told I was pregnant (routine blood test for prep, results were a surprise), so anesthesia had to be different and my recovery was extended. I share this info because a couple of months later, my brother moved to our location and asked to stay with us until he could find an apartment. He is lauded as the most humble and helpful person by many, especially my parents, and himself, yet he complained about the laundry situation in our home, complained that my other young children annoyed him with their noise. He often asked repeatedly when we would eat, but wouldn't lift a finger to help with the children or the meal while I tried to fill pots with water or carry a gallon of milk or any other task, while walking on crutches and not allowed to place any weight on my injured leg. I asked him to help with small things and his response was always that he didn't do those kinds of things. After he moved out, he was more than willing to do anything his roommates wanted, even at the expense of his university classes and employment I do not see how this is humble in any way. True humility does not give only where praise will be returned. True humility gives where need is recognized because it is compelled by the compassionate heart.
I think the test is faulty. Too many of these types of 'tests't can be manipulated.
In my HUMBLE opinion, humility is simply having an unusually accurate assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses. A trait of strength of the humble is being able to ask for help when needed. Another is to give help when needed.
Makes sense.
Humility.... In my less than humble opinion, I think they need to expand this study. Giving or helping is not a part of being humble. It is simply that many of those who are humble also tend to have deep compassion. It is the compassion that moves the individual to help.
hmdicowii, it is not knowing your true strengths or weaknesses that makes one humble. That is only knowledge. A man who is strong but who does not flaunt his strength might be said to be humble--or perhaps he is only being cautious.
Humility is knowing that you are no more important than the ant you just stepped on and no less important than the leader of a mighty nation. Being humble is not the feeling of being inferior, it is simply knowing that one is not superior--to anything or any one. Beware the man who claims he is humble, he is most certainly not. A truly humble person would never say that they are humble. One would see it in their actions but never hear them proclaim it. If I said I was 100 times more humble than you, would you not see my vanity?
The Compassionate Vulcan.
Compassionate Vulcan:
Perhaps I'm not understanding what you wrote or I'm just not able to "connect the dots." Would you please expand a bit on "...it is not knowing your true strengths or weaknesses that makes one humble."
It seems to me to be just the opposite. A person who thinks themselves more capable than he or she is, is more likely to succumb to false pride. Likewise, a person who thinks themselve less capable that he or she is, may suffer from a deficit in self-esteem. Neither of these two states contribute to humility.
In my assertion that humility is simply knowing your strengths and weaknesses, the knowledge that you have both, that you have not assembled within yourself all that is considered strongest, most capable, most intelligent, most compassionate, etc.; in short, all the attributes we commonly classify as desireable or good in the superlative, is a prerequisite to knowing that you have strengths proven by success, and recognized limitations established through failure. Knowing that you have both, with perhaps emphasis on limitations, is a prerequisite, therefore, to humility.
Put more simply, being humble is knowing you're really good at some things, not so good at others, pretty much like everyone else.
hmdicowii,
As in most things such as this, the answer may possibly be found only within ones own mind. There may not be a right or wrong answer--only a belief. In reading your comment above ("Put more simply, being humble is knowing you're really good at some things, not so good at others, pretty much like everyone else.") I think we are saying very close to the same thing but not expanding far enough. Knowing your strength is helpful but it does not keep you from feeling that you are more or less deserving than others. Knowing your weaknesses, may not keep you from thinking that you are greater than others--some people too easily excuse the weaknesses they have while holding others to a higher standing. Being humble--in my opinion, which is the only one I can have--is looking beyond the strengths and weaknesses of self or others and seeing worth in all things. It is a respect for all that is and a knowledge that you are no more and no less important than anything else. Being humble, however, is not a matter of feeling worthless or unworthy. That is simply poor self-esteem.
This is what I, at this moment, believe to be true but I am always seeking a better understanding of life and am more interested in learning the truth than in being right and will always change my mind when new evidence is introduced--which makes me a flip-flopper of the highest degree. I see honest thought in your answers and a quest for truth. I too seek the truth.
The Compassionate Vulcan.
compassionatevulcan.com
Compassionate Vulcan,
Thank you for your thoughtful reply and for your well reasoned discourse. I wish we would begin to see more of this sort of response posted to articles on the Internet.
Live long and prosper.
(Just as an aside, on some sites I log in as Spok.)
hmdicowii,
I chose the name, Compassionate Vulcan, because it represents two things I hold close to my heart: Compassion and Logic. The fact that you use the name Spok on some of your sites would indicate that you too prefer the use of logical discourse to emotional outbursts when it comes to seeking answers. This is indeed rare--especially on these sites. Like you, I would like to see more thoughtful discussion instead of everyone trying to be right (or left as the case may be). I will be certain to look for your name on future posts.
Until then, live long and do great deeds.
Maybe this is why arrogant preachers rarely help people, they're too busy boasting about their special relationship with god.