PILIAVIN Flashcards
(17 cards)
What event prompted the investigation of bystander behavior by Piliavin et al.?
The assault of Kitty Genovese, witnessed by 38 people who did not intervene.
This incident highlighted the phenomenon of bystander apathy and led to research on diffusion of responsibility.
What was the aim of the study by Piliavin et al.?
To investigate bystander behaviour in a natural setting and the effects of various variables on helping.
Variables included type of victim, race of victim, model behaviour, and size of bystander group.
What was the sample population for the Piliavin et al. study?
Passengers traveling by subway between Harlem and Bronx on weekdays.
Approximately 4450 people, with 45% being black and 55% being white.
What research method was used in the Piliavin et al. study?
A field experiment in a New York City subway.
This method allowed for observation of naturalistic behavior.
How many independent variables were tested in the study?
Four independent variables.
These were type of victim, race of victim, model behaviour, and size of bystander group.
What were the two types of victims in the Piliavin et al. study?
Drunk and ill victims.
Victims were either portrayed as intoxicated or sober.
What was the procedure for the model in the study?
The model raised the victim to a sitting position and remained with him until the next stop.
This was to assess the effect of model behavior on bystander intervention.
What was one of the main results of the Piliavin et al. study?
80% of victims received spontaneous help.
This was significantly higher than previous laboratory studies.
Which type of victim received more help, drunk or cane victims?
Cane victims received more help than drunk victims.
62 out of 65 trials for cane victims versus 19 out of 38 trials for drunk victims.
True or False: The study found evidence supporting the diffusion of responsibility.
False.
The research indicated that larger groups responded faster than smaller ones.
What factors were found to influence the decision to help?
Type of victim, gender of helper, and similar race.
Males were more likely to help and help was more likely for victims of the same race, particularly for drunk victims.
What did the study conclude about helping behavior in emergencies?
Many would offer spontaneous help to a stranger, even in group situations.
The longer the emergency continues, the less likely someone is to help.
What is one strength of the Piliavin et al. study?
High ecological validity due to natural behavior observation.
Field experiments often reflect real-world settings more accurately than laboratory studies.
What is one weakness of the Piliavin et al. study?
Extraneous variables could not be controlled, lowering validity and reliability.
This may affect the generalizability of the findings.
What ethical issues were associated with the study?
Lack of informed consent and potential psychological distress to participants.
Participants were deceived into thinking the victim genuinely needed help.
Fill in the blank: Participants did not give _______ in taking part in the study.
informed consent.
How does the study apply to everyday life?
It identifies situational factors that may increase likelihood of helping behavior.
For example, people are more likely to help if the victim does not intimidate or disgust them.
