This paper has the purpose of evaluating the effect of attribution of responsibility and helping cost on the helping intention, as well as the meditational role of emotional state over the relationship of attribution and helping intention. A study of experimental simulation was conducted, with the participation of 181 university students. A scenario organized in a factorial design of 2 (attribution: controllability X uncontrollability) X 3 (cost: high, medium and low) was developed. The results point that the perception of lack of control of the target on the situation leads to positive affective states and higher helping intention. It also indicated that the higher the cost the lesser the helping intention. We concluded that the cost and the attribution of guilty are important factors in the determination of helping intention.
social psychology; pro-social behavior; helping behavior; experimental simulation
