Exploring a Classic Case in Social Psychology
Individual Programmatic Assessment: Exploring a Classic Study in Social Psychology
Christina Parker
PSYCH 620
October 28, 2013
Stacy Hernandez
Individual Programmatic Assessment: Exploring a Classic Study in Social Psychology
Social psychology first examined the phenomena later termed “bystander effect” in response to a 1964 murder. The murder of a young woman with as many as 38 witnesses and none who helped until it was too late. The bystander effect is individuals seeing an emergency situation but not helping. There are many reasons why individuals do not respond: diffusion of responsibility, not noticing or unsure if it is an emergency, and not wanting to be liable if the person still dies are a few.
The Study Upon hearing of the Genovese murder John Darley and Bibb Latane conducted research and set up a study to determine why so many people failed to help before it was too late. Their study set three groups of students in sound proof booths. Group one believed that there was one other student in the group. Group two believed that there were two other students in the group. Group three believed that there were five other students in the group. All the participants were told that the groups would be in booths and communicate over intercoms where one student could talk at a time (Darely & Latane, 1968). In reality the students were alone in the booths and the other voices were recorded. One of the recordings was a student having a seizure. The idea was to record how long it took the students to report the seizure. In group one all the students reported the seizure in less than one minute, group two 85% reported within four minutes, and in group three 60% reported within four minutes (Darely & Latane, 1968). The results proved diffusion of responsibility. The more people believed to be witnessing the emergency the less responsible each individual felt to report it. This is what happened in the Genovese case as well. Darley and Latane conclude
Christina Parker
PSYCH 620
October 28, 2013
Stacy Hernandez
Individual Programmatic Assessment: Exploring a Classic Study in Social Psychology
Social psychology first examined the phenomena later termed “bystander effect” in response to a 1964 murder. The murder of a young woman with as many as 38 witnesses and none who helped until it was too late. The bystander effect is individuals seeing an emergency situation but not helping. There are many reasons why individuals do not respond: diffusion of responsibility, not noticing or unsure if it is an emergency, and not wanting to be liable if the person still dies are a few.
The Study Upon hearing of the Genovese murder John Darley and Bibb Latane conducted research and set up a study to determine why so many people failed to help before it was too late. Their study set three groups of students in sound proof booths. Group one believed that there was one other student in the group. Group two believed that there were two other students in the group. Group three believed that there were five other students in the group. All the participants were told that the groups would be in booths and communicate over intercoms where one student could talk at a time (Darely & Latane, 1968). In reality the students were alone in the booths and the other voices were recorded. One of the recordings was a student having a seizure. The idea was to record how long it took the students to report the seizure. In group one all the students reported the seizure in less than one minute, group two 85% reported within four minutes, and in group three 60% reported within four minutes (Darely & Latane, 1968). The results proved diffusion of responsibility. The more people believed to be witnessing the emergency the less responsible each individual felt to report it. This is what happened in the Genovese case as well. Darley and Latane conclude
References: Darely, J. M., & Latane, B. (1968). BYSTANDER INTERVENTION IN EMERGENCIES: DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8(4), 377-383. Retrieved October 2013, from doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0025589 Fiske, S. T. (2010). Social Beings: Core Motives in Social Psychology 2nd Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.