Piliavin, Rodin & Piliavin

Question 0

What were the four hypothesis’ for the study?

Answer 0

• more help would be given to person of the same race as bystander
• drunk person would receive less help than an ill person
• model showing helping behaviour would encourage the same behaviour
• more people = less help due to diffusion of responsibility

Question 1

What were the aims of the study (looking at four areas of focus)?

Answer 1

• responsibility of victim
• race of victim
• effect of modelling
• effect of group size

Question 2

What were the IV’s in the study?

Answer 2

• type of victim (drunk or ill)
• race of victim (black or white)
• presence of model (early or late)
• number of bystanders present (naturally varied)

Question 3

What were thee pendent variables of the study?

Answer 3

• times taken for the first passenger to offer help
• total number of passengers that helped
• gender, location & race of each helper
• time taken for first passenger to help after model has assisted

Question 4

What other measures were taken?

Answer 4

• movement of other passengers out of the critical area
• gender, race & location of each passenger in critical location
• spontaneous commented made by passengers

Question 5

What was the setting / location of the experiment?

Answer 5

• A & D trains of the 8th avenue in IND in NYC
• no stopes for 7 & 1/2mins, & after first 70secs people became bystanders to emergency situation
• 103 trials of export conducted
• designated experiment or critical area at end of carriage where doors to next carriage were
15 seats & standing in each train

Question 6

Was was the sample of the experiment?

Answer 6

• 4450 male & female used weekday trains between 11am & 3pm
• 15th April - 26th June 1968
• unsolicited participants
• racial ratio of typical train = 45% black to 55% white