pilliavin research Flashcards
aim
to investigate bystander behaviour (speed and frequency of helping behaviour) in a real life situation
IV
drunk and lame conditions
DV
- the speed that help was given
- how many people helped
- sex and race of participants (everyone on the carriage)
- whether anyone left the critical area, if so then their race, sex and approx age
- race and sex of the first helper
experimental method
field experiment
outline the sample and its characteristics?
- 4450 men and women
- travelling between 11am and 3pm
- 15th April - 26th June
- on weekdays
- train on 8th ave NY
- 45% black
- 55% white
what gender was more likely to help?
males
average number of people in the train car
43
method / procedure
trial team of 4 from Columbia general studies students
- 2 males and 2 female researcher
- entered using different doors
- 103 trails
- confederates were sat outside of the critical zone
- male behaviour ‘model’ and victim stayed standing
- victim stood next to a pole in the centre of the critical area
- after the first station approx 70sec victim would stagger forward and collapse
- 2 conditions
- condition A : drunk condition, smelt of alcohol, holding a liquor bottle in a brown paper bag
- condition B : lame / ill condition, had a black cane
- victim remained on the floor till help arrived
- early intervention 70 seconds and then behaviour was modelled
- late intervention 150 seconds and then behaviour was modelled
conclusion
Didn’t find the diffusion of responsibility
Cost benefit analysis -
People are more likely to help when the model goes first and demonstrates it
type of data collected
both quantitative and quantitative
ethical concerns
1) deception, participants genuinely believed that the victim needed help
2) potential for psychological harm / feelings of guilt if they didn’t help or from the traumatic event of seeing someone collapse in front of them
smiling method
opportunity sampling
