Piliavin Flashcards
Piliavin aim
To investigate how different situations or circumstances impact helping behaviour
What is altruism
True helping behaviour (helping others even if it may have a negative effect on you)
What is diffusion of responsibility
The more people who are present the less essential it seems that you personally get involved
What is the bystander effect
Sometimes when people seem in need no one helps
Piliavin IVs
1-the type of victim (drunk or ill)
2-race of the victim (black or white)
3-someone setting an example of helping behaviour (a model- early or late)
4-no. of witnesses (varied naturally)
Piliavin research method
Field experiment
Piliavin covert or overt observation
Covert
Research design Piliavin
Independent measures
Controlled measures
Piliavin procedure
Took part on the New York Subway on a non stop journey of 7.5 minutes
This was to keep an captive audience
The study took place weekdays between 11am and 3pm
The confederates would board the train using different doors and after 70 seconds the victim staggered forward and collapsed looking at the ceiling
Females took seats outside the critical area
Piliavin participants
4450 unsolicited participants
45% black
55% white
The confederates Piliavin
2 male (victim or model)
2 female students (observers)
Piliavin how many trials
103
(38- drink victim)
(65-cane victim)
Piliavin DVs
1-time taken for first passenger to offer help
2-total number of passengers who helped
3-the gender, race and location of every helper
4-time taken for first passenger to offer help AFTER model assisted
Piliavin results
Cane victim received help on 62/65 (95%) trials vs drunk victim receiving help 19/38 (50%) trials
Tendency for same race helping
No significant effect of model intervening
90% of first helpers were MALE
“It’s for men to help him” - a woman
