In contrast, C. Daniel Batson holds that people help others in need out of genuine concern for the well-being of the other person.
According to Batson's empathy-altruism hypothesis, if someone feels empathy towards another person, they will help them, regardless of what they can gain from it.
[3] When a person does not feel empathy, the standards of social exchange theory apply.
One of the interviews was with a woman named Carol, who talked about her bad car accident in which both of her legs were broken, her struggles and how behind she was becoming in class.
[4] Batson and colleagues set out to show that empathy motivates other-regarding helping behavior not out of self-interest but out of true interest in the well-being of others.