PILIAVIN Flashcards
What was the aim of Piliavin?
Piliavin wanted to investigate the impact of helping behaviour of a number of different variables.
Type of victim
Race of victim
Number of witnesses
Someone setting an example of helping behaviour
Participants in Piliavins study?
103 trials there were a mean of 43 people per carriage, typical carriage was 45% black and 55% white.
Research method of Piliavin ?
Field experiment
Independent measures design
What was the procedure of Piliavins study?
Victims(3 white 1 black) instructed to collapse after 70 secs in to journey & remain on the floor until someone helped. Model was instructed to help 70/150 secs after the collapse if no one helped. In total 103 trials-38 drunk and 65 cane.
Controls of Piliavins study?
How the victim was dressed & acted
The procedure
The time (11am - 3pm)
The location (NY)
Qualitative Results of Piliavin ?
Comments made from female passengers
“It’s for men to help him”
“I wish I could help, I’m not strong enough.”
Sampling method of Piliavin ?
An opportunity sample. Whoever was on the carriage.
Quantitative results of Piliavin ?
Victim with came received help 62/65 trials & drunk received help in 19/38 of trials.
Out of helpers, 90% were male.
Victims were helped much faster when there were more than 7 male passengers in the critical area.
Conclusions from Piliavins study?
Individual who appears to be ill is more likely to be helped than one who is drunk.
Men are more likely to help
Help comes quickest & in greatest numbers when there are more witnesses present.
Which ethical considerations did Piliavin break ?
Deception-didn’t know intentions of study & why someone was falling in front of them.
Debrief-no mention of a debrief
Harm- potential emotional harm, p’s that didn’t help could walk away with a feeling of reduced self worth.
Which ethical guidelines did Piliavin uphold ?
Withdrawal
Consent - no names were recorded
What was the validity of Piliavins study ?
Results could have been affected by extraneous variables as it was a field experiment such as if the train was busy and victim couldn’t collapse in the same place.
Ecological validity - field experiment so true to life however the dramatic way victim falls to floor might be unusual.
What is the reliability of Piliavins study?
103 trials took place which means they can be fairly confident that they have established a consistent effect.
How does Piliavin link to free will / determinism ?
Witnesses have control over whether they help or not
However it is determined by cost reward factors
How does Piliavin link to reductionism / holism debate ?
Results can be seen as holistic in the sense that it is taking in a range of different factors rather than just one factor
Reductionist as it misses out other reasons why people might not help such as kindness.
