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Prosocial and Bystander Behaviour

Core Concepts Glossary

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Prosocial Behaviour

Voluntary actions intended to help or benefit others.
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Bystander Effect

Less likely to help others when others are present.
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Diffusion of Resp.

People assume someone else will intervene, reducing their personal sense of responsibility.
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Social Influence

People monitor others' reactions to decide how to respond.

Social Factors: Presence of Others

When multiple people witness an emergency, two key social factors inhibit intervention:

1

Diffusion of Responsibility

People assume someone else will intervene, reducing their personal sense of responsibility.
2

Social Influence

If no one else acts, they interpret the situation as non-emergency or assume help is unnecessary.

Social Factors: Cost of Helping

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Low Cost Situations Conversely, low-cost situations encourage helping. For example, helping someone cross the street.
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High Cost Situations If helping demands involve high personal risk or effort, individuals are less likely to intervene.

Dispositional Factors

Individual characteristics that make a person more likely to intervene in an emergency:

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Similarity to Victim

People are more inclined to help individuals perceived as similar to themselves. Similarity increases empathy.
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Expertise

People with relevant skills or knowledge (e.g., medical training) are more likely to help. Expertise increases confidence.

Piliavin’s Subway Study (1969)

Methodology

This naturalistic field experiment studied bystander behaviour in a real-world setting. A confederate pretended to collapse on a New York subway train, either appearing drunk or ill. Researchers observed passengers’ reactions.

Piliavin Findings: Victim Status

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Ill Victim When the victim appeared ill, helping was more frequent and quicker.
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Drunk Victim Helping was less frequent and slower compared to when the victim appeared ill.

Piliavin Findings: Key Observations

Observations regarding group size and demographic factors influencing intervention rates:

Factor Condition Outcome
Group Size Help was less common when more passengers were present.
Gender Men were more likely to intervene than women.
Similarity People similar in race to the victim helped more often.

Summary of Key Principles

1

Diffusion of Responsibility

Bystander effect shows diffusion of responsibility reduces help in larger groups.
2

Intervention Inhibition

Presence of others inhibits intervention unless a clear social cue demands it.
3

Risk Assessment

Cost of helping and personal risk affect willingness to help.
4

Individual Traits

Dispositional factors like similarity and expertise increase helping.
5

Victim Characteristics

Piliavin’s study confirms impact of victim characteristics and group size on helping.
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Prosocial Behaviour & Bystander Effect Deck
Term
Prosocial Behaviour

What is prosocial behaviour?

Answer
Definition

Voluntary actions intended to help or benefit others.

Term
Examples of Prosocial Behaviour

Name some examples of prosocial behaviour.

Answer
Examples

Helping, sharing, donating, cooperating.

Term
Bystander Effect

What does the bystander effect describe?

Answer
Definition

People are less likely to help when others are present.

Term
Diffusion of Responsibility

What is diffusion of responsibility?

Answer
Definition

When people assume someone else will help, reducing their own sense of obligation.

Term
Social Influence

How does social influence affect bystander intervention?

Answer
Explanation

People look to others’ reactions to decide if help is needed.

Term
Cost of Helping

How does the cost of helping impact intervention?

Answer
Explanation

Higher perceived risk or effort decreases likelihood to help.

Term
Similarity & Helping

What dispositional factor increases helping related to similarity?

Answer
Explanation

People are more likely to help those they perceive as similar to themselves.

Term
Expertise & Helping

How does expertise influence helping behaviour?

Answer
Explanation

Having relevant skills boosts confidence and increases help.

Term
Piliavin’s Subway Study: Victim Type

What was a key finding from Piliavin’s subway study?

Answer
Finding

Victims perceived as ill received more help than those perceived as drunk.

Term
Piliavin’s Study: Group Size

How does group size affect helping behaviour according to Piliavin’s study?

Answer
Finding

More people present leads to less individual helping.

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🌸 Prosocial Behaviour & Bystander Effect Quiz

1. What does prosocial behaviour involve?

Prosocial behaviour includes deliberate acts like helping or sharing.

2. Which factor explains why people may not help when others are around?

The feeling that someone else will take action lowers personal responsibility.

3. In Piliavin’s subway study, which victim was helped more quickly?

Passengers were more likely to help someone who appeared genuinely ill.

4. How does similarity to the victim affect helping behaviour?

People tend to help those they perceive as similar to themselves.

5. Which of the following increases the chances someone will intervene in an emergency?

Having skills or knowledge increases confidence and likelihood to help.

📊 Results

  • Notes and Quiz
  • Psychology
  • GCSE
  • Research Methods
  • AQA