Core studies - Levine - Paper 2 Flashcards
Aim
Investigate helping behaviour across different countries
Identify country level variables that relate to differences in helping
Identify whether a city’s tendency to help is a cross-culturally stable characteristic of a place
Research method
Quasi experiment
Cross-cultural - 23 countries
Independent measures design
Correlational analysis also used
Conditions
Victim dropping pen when walking past lone pedestrian
Victim walking with limp and a leg brace dropping magazines and being unable to pick them all up with 20 feet of a pedestrian
Victim dressed as a blind person who needs help crossing the street at a crossing with steady pedestrian flow - help classed as if at least the victim was told the light was green
Findings
No significant gender differences in helping behaviour
Most helpful were Rio de Janeiro (93%) and San Jose - Costa Rica - (91%)
Least helpful were Kuala Lumpur (40%) and New York (45%)
Only reliable correlation of helping and community variables was that the more helpful cities had lower economic power
Insignificant relationships found - high pace of life and individualistic cities less helpful
Simpatia countries were most helpful
Community variables
Population size
Economic indicator - Purchasing Power Parity
Individualism vs collectivism - rating
Pace of life - measured with walking speed
Conclusions
Helping strangers is a cross-culturally meaningful characteristic of a place
Helping behaviour is inversely related to a country’s economic power
Countries with a cultural tradition of simpatia are more helpful than those without
Helping behaviour is not affected by whether or not a country is individualist/collectivist
Strengths
High ecological validity - true to life scenario
No ethnocentrism
Totally random sample
Weaknesses
Low internal reliability - hard to standardise with such a massive study
No consent
