Flashcards
Piliavin et al study
Cards in this deck (6)
- 1Piliavin et al Background• Psychological research into bystander invention was triggered by Kitty Genovese murder (New York 1964).
• Supposedly 38 people (over 30 mins) watched killer stalk and attack her in 3 separate attacks.
• Not 1 phoned policed - 2Piliavin et al AimTo study the factors affecting whether people would help a collapsed man on the New York underground:
1) Victim responsibility for being in situation
2) Race of Victim
3) Effect of modelling behaviour
4) Size of group (to test whether diffusion of responsibility occurs) - 3Piliavin et al Sample• Estimated total of 4550 passengers on trains targeted
• Average. 43 per carriage
• Av. 8 in ‘critical area’
• Racial mix approx. 45% black to 55% white - 4Piliavin et al Method• Took place in 7.5 min gap between 2 stations
• 4 experimenters- 2 males playing role of victim or model helper (1 black. 1 white) - 2 females observing.
• Victim faked collapsed after 70 seconds of train setting off.
• Didn’t move till someone helped
1) Victim either ill (carried cane/ low responsibility) or drunk (bottle in hand/ high responsibility)
2) Victim either black or white
3) Whether male confederate (model helper) either close or distant helped after 70 or 150 seconds
4) How many people present in the vicinity - 5Piliavin et al Results• 79% of victims received help
• 60% helped by more than 1 person
1) Help more likely if victim ill
- Ill= 95%. 17% after 70 secs
- Drunk= 50%. 83% after 70 secs
2) Some increased tendency to help people of own race
- Ill = black + white likely to receive help
- Drunk = black less likely to be helped BUT more likely to be helped by own race
3) Model intervening after 70 secs more likely to lead to help from others
4) Number of bystanders made little difference. No evidence of diffusion of responsibility. Mild effect in opposite direction: more people, more likely to receive help. - 6Piliavin et al Conclusions• Providing people in closed environment and can’t leave, likely to help.
• Helping most likely when victim not seen as not responsible (ill) and same race as helpers
• Longer the incident goes on, the less likely to help
• No evidence of diffusion of responsibility: number of bystanders not important.
Information
- Description
- A level Psychology (Social Core studies) Flashcards on Piliavin et al study, created by Millie Rodgers on 18/04/2017.
- Created by
- Millie Rodgers
- Views
- 7
- Rating