Following the Second World war, much social psychology focused on understanding what social forces influence ordinary people to behave in anti-social and violent ways. For the most part, however, people behave in peaceful and cooperative ways towards each other and our social institutions depend upon cooperation and prosocial behaviors as much as the obligations to conform and obey.
For evolutionary psychologists, pro-social behavior is hardwired. Other social psychologists propose a social exchange theory—the costs and benefits of our actions are carefully considered, and that apparent altruistic behavior is rarely more than what is ultimately self-beneficial. Not everyone agreed with this cynical interpretation of pro-social behavior. C. Daniel Batson believed that we are capable of genuinely altruistic behavior, stemming from our ability to empathize with others. Empathy motivates us to act kindly toward others.