Piliavin et al. Study on Bystander Behavior

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and findings from the Piliavin et al. study on bystander behavior, derived from the lecture notes.

What is one assumption of the social approach in psychology?

Behavior, cognition, and emotions can be influenced by groups or social contexts.

What does 'diffusion of responsibility' mean?

It refers to the idea that when an incident is observed by multiple people, the responsibility is diffused among them, making individuals feel less personally responsible to act.

Define 'bystander'.

Bystanders are individuals who are present at an event or incident but do not actively participate in helping those in need.

What is meant by 'bystander apathy'?

Bystander apathy is the tendency of individuals not to assist strangers in emergencies, with apathy increasing as the number of bystanders rises.

What was the aim of the Piliavin et al. study?

To investigate bystander behavior in a natural setting and the impact of situational variables on helping behavior.

What were the four independent variables in the Piliavin et al. study?

Type of victim (drunk or ill), race of the victim (white or black), the presence of a helping model, and group size.

What was the approximate number of participants in the Piliavin study?

4450.

What sampling technique was used in the Piliavin study?

Opportunity sampling.

What is one advantage of using opportunity sampling?

It allows researchers to quickly and cost-effectively recruit a large number of participants who are easily accessible.

What was the racial composition of the sample in the Piliavin study?

55% white and 45% black.

What did the model do in the 'Critical area – early' condition of the study?

The model stood in the critical area and waited until after the fourth station to intervene and help the victim.

What did participants comment when they did not help the victim?

Comments included phrases like 'It is for men to help him' and 'I am not strong enough'.

Describe the victim in the drunk condition of the study.

The victim was a male, aged 26-35, dressed in an Eisenhower jacket, acting drunk, smelling of alcohol, and carrying a liquor bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag.

What did observers record in the Piliavin study?

Observers recorded the race, sex, and location of each helper as well as comments made by nearby passengers.

What is covert observation?

Covert observation occurs when researchers observe participants without their knowledge of being part of a study.

What is one ethical issue raised by the Piliavin study?

Participants were not informed they could withdraw from the study because the train held them captive during an emergency situation.

What was one conclusion from the Piliavin study?

The type of victim significantly affects the likelihood of receiving help.

Explain one methodological strength of the Piliavin study.

It has high ecological validity as it was conducted in a realistic public setting, reflecting real-life situations.

What is one weakness regarding the validity of the Piliavin study?

It was difficult to control extraneous variables in a field experiment, which might influence the results.

What kind of data was primarily collected in the Piliavin study?

Quantitative data regarding the speed and frequency of helping behavior.

What did the Piliavin study reveal about the relationship between group size and helping behavior?

Contrary to diffusion of responsibility, larger groups were faster at responding to the victim.