Which of the following is an example of altruistic behavior?

• A. Emma gives her brother Jax some of her babysitting money to buy a gift for his girlfriend
• B. Ming skips a friend's party to help Joselyn finish her costume
• C. Trevon spends his recess time helping Duc memorize definitions for a vocabulary test
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Altruistic behavior means doing something that helps someone else even though it costs you something, and you’re not expecting a direct personal payoff. Emma gives some of her own babysitting money to help her brother buy a gift for his girlfriend, which costs her money but benefits someone else. Ming skips a party to help a friend finish a costume, giving up personal fun to support another person's goal. Trevon spends recess helping a classmate memorize definitions, sacrificing his free time to aid someone else’s performance. Each scenario involves a personal cost for the helper and a concrete benefit to another person, with no obvious immediate reward for the helper. Because all of these fit that pattern, all of the above are examples of altruistic behavior.