Piliavin et al. (1969)

Question 1

What were the main 4 aims of Piliavin’s study?

Answer 1

• Would it make a difference if victim was drunk or ill
• Would the victims race make a difference
• Would an intervention of a model affect helping behaviour
• Would the number of witnesses affect the amount of helping behaviour

Question 2

Why was the New York 8th Avenue Independent Subway used?

Answer 2

Because the A to D trains on this route made no stops between 59th street and 125th street so it was a 7.5minute journey - captive audience.

Question 3

Outline ‘the team’.

Answer 3

Four teams of students, each made up of a victim, model and two observers.

Question 4

Describe the victims.

Answer 4

• All male
• Identically dressed
• 3 white, 1 black
• Acted drunk on 38 trials
• Acted old (with cane) on 65 trials

Question 5

Describe the model.

Answer 5

• Always white male
• Informal clothes
• Assisted victim either early (after 70 seconds) or late (after 150 seconds)
• Stood in either critical area (where victim was) or adjacent area (next to where victim was)

Question 6

Describe the observers.

Answer 6

• Two other people in each team both female
• Seated in adjacent area
• One observer noted race, sex and location of every passenger in critical area and counted total number of individuals and number of people who helped
• Other observer noted race, sex and location of every passenger in the adjacent area and recorded length of time it took for first helper to arrive

Question 7

Outline the participants.

Answer 7

4450 people on the train at the time of the 103 trials.

Question 8

What were the results about the type of victim?

Answer 8

• Victim with cane received spontaneous help on 62 of the 65 trials
• Victim who appeared drunk received spontaneous help on 19 of the 38 trials

Question 9

What were the results to do with the race of the victim?

Answer 9

• Approximately equal for cane victim

- For drunk victim, mainly same race who came to aid

Question 10

What was the research method of Piliavin’s study?

Answer 10

Quasi-field experiment.

Question 11

What were the results to do with the intervention of a model?

Answer 11

No effect on helping behaviour.

Question 12

What were the results to do with the number of witnesses? (diffusion of responsibility)

Answer 12

Victims were helped much faster when there were seven or more male passengers in the critical area.

Question 13

What are the main conclusions of Piliavin’s study?

Answer 13

• An individual who appears ill is more likely to receive help than one who appears drunk
• Men are more likely to help than women
• Some tendency for same-race helping
• Help comes quickest and in greatest numbers when more witnesses are present