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The psychology of human relationships

Social responsibility

Two examples of bystander behaviour

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In 1964, a woman called Kitty Genovese was raped and murdered in a parking lot in Queens, New York by a man named Winston Moseley. Thirty-eight people in the apartment block heard the incident, but no one offered help to the victim.

In 2007, Wesley Autrey saved the life of a man who fell onto the New York Subway during a seizure. Autrey jumped onto the track and lay on top of the man to prevent him falling under a passing train. Listen to Autrey tell the story here.

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Starter activity

1. Compare the two examples of bystander behaviour.

2. Why do you think help was offered in the second situation but not in the first?

3. What factors influence whether or not we choose to help?

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Command words: The language of the learning outcomes

• Distinguish between altruism and pro-social behaviour.

• Contrast two theories explaining altruism in humans.

• Using one or more research studies, explain cross cultural ‑differences in prosocial behaviour.

• Examine factors influencing bystanderism.

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Key terms

Pro-social behaviour is behaviour which helps another person.

Altruism refers to helping another person which incurs costs to the helper with no obvious benefit.

Bystanderism refers to the behaviour of witnesses who ‘stand by’ and do not offer help when needed.

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Studying bystander behaviour

Laboratory experiment: Darley and Latané

Students took part in a phone discussion on ‘stress of college life’. They could hear but not see others in the ‘group’. The researchers varied the supposed group size with 2, 3 or 6 participants.

During the discussion, a tape recorded seizure was played over the intercom. The researchers measured how long it took for the genuine participant to help.

Field experiment: Piliavin et al.

The experiment took place on the New York underground system. A researcher acted the role of a partially sighted or drunken passenger who collapsed and fell unconscious on the train floor.

Piliavin varied the race of the victim making 4 different conditions (white drunk/ill and black drunk/ill).

The researchers measured how long it took for help to be offered. If no-one helped within 70 seconds another researcher helped the ‘victim’.

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Activity: Studying bystander behaviour

1. What do these two experiments tell us about bystander behaviour?

2. Compare them in terms of:• Ethical considerations• Ecological validity.