Chapter 11: Anti ans Pro social Behaviour

What is Antisocial Behaviour?

Actions that harm society and its members by intentionally violating the rights of others

What is a bystander?

A person who is present at an event but does not take part

What is the bystander effect?

The phenomenon whereby bystanders fail to help someone in need due to te present of others

Proposes that the more people present, less likely help will be offered by any of the individuals

What is the first step that must be taken before a bystander will help in an emergency?

Bystander becomes aware of potential emergency

→ may not act because they dont think it is an emergency

→ do not want to risk embarrassing themselves

Or

→ bystander may worry their offer of help is rejected and feels like a fool

Known as audience inhibition

What is audience inhibition?

Failure to intervene in an emergency in the presence of others due to fear of being negatively judged.

More people present, greater risk.

What is the second step that must be taken before a bystander will help in an emergency?

If bystander is unsure how to behave in an emergency, look to fellow bystanders for cues

Process is form of social influence, explains why inactive bystanders inhibit helping of others.

Other not intervening = no emergency

Lots of people don’t know how to act or what an emergency looks like so they turn to others

What is the last step that must be taken before a bystander will help in an emergency?

Diffusion of responsibility

Bystander assumes that someone else will act

What is diffusion of responsibility?

Reduction in personal responsibility when in a group, resulting in the individual being less likely to act.

Personal responsibility divided among bystanders.

More people = less likely bystanders will act.

What is cost-benefit analysis?

During an event, bystanders will be performing cost-benefit analysis

Psychological process of weighing up the benefit of performing a behaviour, with the potential cost of the behaviour

What are limitations to the concept of the bystander effect?

Instances during real-life emergencies where bystanders do help, this presence of tigers is not always detrimental to prosocial behaviour.

What was the aim of the Group Inhibition of Bystander Intervention in Emergencies - Smoke-filled Room (Latané and Darley, 1968) ?

To observe the behaviour bystanders in an emergency

Who were the participants in the Group Inhibition of Bystander Intervention in Emergencies - Smoke-filled Room (Latané and Darley, 1968) ?

87 male college students

Convenience sampling

What was the Independent variable?

Wether participants were alone (control), on a group with other participants or in a group with confederates.

What was the dependent variable?

Time the participant stayed in the room, before leaving to report the smoke.

What was the general procedure?

Volunteered to attend

3 conditions, alone, two other contestant, 2 other confederates

Participants were filling out forms and as they were doing it, at some point stream of titanium dioxide particles through a vent poured out. Imitate smoke from fire

Confederates told to momentarily notice and answer with I don’t know if asked

Max wait time 6 mins.

Participants then interviewed about the smoke and their though proces during the incident.

What were the key findings?

75% of participants who were alone reported the smoke

38% in a group of 3 reported

10% in a group of 2 PASSIVE confederates

In finals interviews, participants say they took little notice to reaction of others in the room

→ did not admit or unaware that people in the room influenced their behaviour

Most said they did not act because they didn’t believe it was an emergency

What were the contributions to psychology?

Result from experiment encourage further research to explore relationship among bystanders

Understanding how presence of others in an emergency affects bystander behaviour can help reduce the negative outcomes of such events

What were the criticisms and limitations?

Acting in calm & collected fashion during stressful situations is culturally accepted for American males

Result could have been different if females or participants from another culture were selected, therefore generalising results to population of male and females across different cultures is not possible

Individuals likely to respond differently to smoke in a similar situation and share their attitudes within the group, STUDY NOT REALISTIC- LOW EXTERNAL VALIDITY

Titanium dioxide classified as carcinogen- physical safety not upheld. Not known till 2006

What is groupthink?

When group members conform to make unanimous decisions without using critical reasoning.

People place importance on group unanimity and harmony at the expense of independent opinions and critical thinking, extreme and often poor decisions are made

When does groupthink occur?

When group members conform to make unanimous decisions without suing critical reasoning because opposing opinions are ignored or rejected

What are some causes of groupthink?

1. Lack of diversity in groups

2. Lack of impartial groupthink

3. Stress

4. Time constraints

5. Lack of outside perspectives

6. Highly cohesive (close-knit) groups

7. Motivation to maintain group members’ self esteem

What ar some consequences to groupthink?

1. Poor decisions

2. Self-censorship

3. Inefficient problem solving

4. Harmful stereotypes developing

5. Lack of creativity

6. Blindness to negative outcomes

7. Lack of preparation to manage negative outcomes

8. Inability to see other solutions

9. Obedience to authority without question

What is bullying?

Purposeful use of a difference in power to repeatedly cause physical, psychological or social harm.

What are forms of bullying?

Physical, verbal, relational/social, cyber

What are factors that turn children into bullies?

1. Wanting power

2. Wanting popularity

3. Problems at home

4. Escape from boredom/lack of purpose

5. Lack of empathy

6. Prejudices

7. Peer pressure