Piliavin et al (1969)

Question 1

When was this study conducted?

Answer 1

1969

Question 2

What was the aim of this study?

Answer 2

To investigate helping behaviour in a natural environment & to understand the conditions in which ppl are more likely to help.

Question 3

Give the main points of the procedure of this study.

Answer 3

1. 16 researchers operating in four groups of four:
   
   • 2 fem. observers recording passengers’ actions, the amount of ppl in the critical & adjacent areas, their race, sex, who helped and how long it took them to assist.
   • 2 males (1 acted as the victim, other was a model (pretend passenger))
2. Victim would enter the critical area ( next to the central aisle handrail) and collapsed after the 1st stop while the model either sat still or offered help after some time.

Question 4

In what ways did the victim vary?

Answer 4

1. Sober and carrying a cane or drunk and carrying a bottle wrapped in a brown bag.
2. White or black

Question 5

Outline the results of the study.

Answer 5

1. Victim helped by the ppts before the model in 62/65 trials when they were “sober” vs 19/38 trials when they were drunk
2. 90% of first helpers were male
3. Didn’t find bystander behaviour was affected by the size of the majority (possibly due to other factors i.e proximity)

Question 6

Wat can we conclude from this study>

Answer 6

1. Ppl are more likely to help ill victims rather than drunk b/c the cost of helping (in terms of harm) are less.
2. Men are more likely to help b/c the cost of NOT helping is less for women b/c they aren’t expected to respond in emergency situations.
3. Cost of helping in a large group is low b/c the victim is seen as less harmful, whereas the cost of NOT helping was high b/c they would’ve been seen by others and may have felt guilty.
4. The model’s offer of assistance didn’t tend to influence behaviour.

Question 7

Give 1 strength of this study.

Answer 7

Has ecological validity

• was a field experiment, so the ppts would behave naturally and the findings would be true of normal bystander behaviour.
• if it wasn’t a covert investigation, ppts would’ve been more likely to display demand characteristics.

Question 8

Give 1 weakness of this study.

Answer 8

Unethical

• the passengers were unconsenting ppts b/c they were unaware that they were being observed.
• the scene could’ve caused distress, pressure or guilt