Levine et al. (2001)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To look at helping behaviour, in a wide range of cultures, in large cities around the world in relation to four specific community variables:

1. population size
2. economic well-being
3. cultural values (individualism-collectivism, simpatia)
4. walking speed (pace of life).

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

Participants in this study were large cities in each of 23 countries – in most cases the largest in each country i.e. individuals in each of these cities at the time of the experiment.

Each of the three helping measures and the walking speed measure were administered in two or more locations, in main downtown areas, during main business hours, on clear days, during the summer months of one or more years between 1992 and 1997.

For the dropped pen and hurt leg situations, only individuals walking alone were selected. Children (younger than 17 years old), and people who were physically disabled, very old, carrying packages etc (i.e. those who might not be fully capable or expected to help) were excluded.

Participants were selected by approaching the second potential person who crossed a predetermined line.

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

This was a cross-cultural quasi experiment carried out in the field that used an independent measures design.

The experiment measured, through the use of a series of correlations of co-variables, helping behaviour in three non emergency situations: 1. whether the victim dropped a pen 2. whether the victim had a hurt/injured leg 3. whether the victim was blind and trying to cross the street.

The dependent variable (DV) was the helping rate of the 23 individual cities (calculated to give each city an Overall Helping Index). The three measures of helping were correlated with statistics reflecting population size, economic well-being, cultural values (individualism- collectivism, simpatia) and the pace of life for each of the 23 locations.

Question 4

Findings

Answer 4

• Most helpful: Rio je Janiero (93%), San Jose (91%) and Lilongwe (86%)
• Least helpful: Kuala Lampur (40%), New York (45%) and Singapore (48%).

1. There are cross-cultural variations in helping rates.
2. Helping across cultures is inversely related to a country’s economic productivity.
3. Countries with the cultural tradition of simpatico are, on average, more helpful than countries with no such tradition.