Prosocial Behaviour » Social Factors in Helping

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

The definition of prosocial behaviour and helping
Social factors that influence helping behaviour
The bystander effect and diffusion of responsibility
Latané and Darley's research on bystander intervention
The role of social influence in helping behaviour
Cultural and gender differences in helping
Real-world applications and case studies

Introduction to Prosocial Behaviour and Helping

Have you ever wondered why some people rush to help others in an emergency while others just stand and watch? Or why you might be more likely to help someone when you're alone than when you're in a crowd? This fascinating area of psychology explores the social factors that influence whether we help others or not.

Key Definitions:

Prosocial behaviour: Any action intended to benefit another person or group.
Helping behaviour: A specific type of prosocial behaviour that involves actions taken to improve another person's welfare or situation.
Bystander effect: The phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency when other people are present.
Diffusion of responsibility: The tendency for people to feel less personal responsibility to act when others are present.

👥 Types of Helping Behaviour

Planned helping: Deliberate actions taken after consideration, like volunteering at a charity.

Spontaneous helping: Immediate responses to unexpected situations, such as helping someone who has fallen over.

Emergency helping: Actions taken in crisis situations that might involve personal risk, like rescuing someone from danger.

💡 Why Study Helping Behaviour?

Understanding why people help (or don't help) others has important real-world applications:

Designing public spaces to encourage helping
Training people to overcome barriers to helping
Creating effective emergency response systems
Promoting prosocial behaviour in communities

The Bystander Effect

One of the most famous social factors affecting helping behaviour is the bystander effect. This psychological phenomenon shows that people are less likely to help someone in need when there are other people around.

Case Study Focus: Kitty Genovese

In 1964, a woman named Kitty Genovese was murdered outside her apartment in New York. Initial reports claimed that 38 witnesses saw or heard the attack but did nothing to help. This case sparked research into the bystander effect, though later investigations revealed the original story was somewhat exaggerated. Nevertheless, it remains an important catalyst for understanding why people don't always help in emergencies.

Latané and Darley's Research

Psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley conducted groundbreaking research into the bystander effect. They proposed that before helping in an emergency, people go through a five-step decision-making process:

👀 Notice

First, a person must notice that something is happening. In busy environments or when distracted, people might not even be aware of an emergency.

🤔 Interpret

Next, they must interpret the situation as an emergency. Ambiguous situations may be misinterpreted, especially if others don't seem concerned.

📝 Decide

Then, they must take personal responsibility, decide how to help and finally take action. Each step can be affected by the presence of others.

Key Studies on the Bystander Effect

Latané and Darley conducted several experiments that demonstrated the bystander effect:

🔭 Smoke-Filled Room Study (1968)

Participants were placed in a room that gradually filled with smoke. When alone, 75% reported the smoke. When with two passive confederates (actors who ignored the smoke), only 10% reported it. This showed how we look to others to interpret ambiguous situations.

🎤 Seizure Study (1968)

Participants heard a person having what sounded like a seizure through an intercom. When they thought they were the only one listening, 85% left to help. When they thought four others were listening, only 31% helped, demonstrating diffusion of responsibility.

Social Factors Influencing Helping Behaviour

Diffusion of Responsibility

When multiple people witness an emergency, the responsibility to help is psychologically shared among all present. This means each person feels less personal responsibility to act. The more bystanders present, the less likely any individual is to help.

Audience Inhibition

People often worry about looking foolish if they misinterpret a situation or help inappropriately. The fear of social embarrassment can prevent people from taking action, especially in public settings.

Pluralistic Ignorance

In ambiguous situations, people often look to others for cues about how to behave. If everyone appears calm (even though they might all be privately concerned), individuals may conclude there's no emergency.

Real-World Example: The "Collapsed Person" Experiment

Researchers staged a person collapsing in a busy street versus a quiet street. On the busy street, the person received help after an average of 20 seconds, with multiple people present but few helping. On the quiet street, help came after just 5 seconds on average. This demonstrates how the presence of others can actually delay helping in real-world settings.

Cultural and Gender Influences on Helping

🌎 Cultural Differences

Research shows that helping behaviour varies across cultures:

Collectivist cultures (e.g., many Asian societies) may show more helping towards in-group members but less towards strangers.
Individualistic cultures (e.g., Western societies) may show more helping towards strangers in emergencies but less day-to-day helping within communities.
Cultural norms about privacy and non-interference can also affect helping behaviour.

👦👧 Gender Differences

Research suggests gender may influence the type of helping behaviour displayed:

Men may be more likely to help in situations requiring physical intervention or involving risk.
Women may be more likely to provide emotional support and ongoing care.
These differences likely reflect social expectations and gender roles rather than innate differences.

Overcoming the Bystander Effect

Understanding the social factors that inhibit helping allows us to develop strategies to overcome them:

Direct appeals: Singling out specific individuals ("You in the red shirt, please call an ambulance") reduces diffusion of responsibility.
Education: Teaching people about the bystander effect makes them more likely to recognise and overcome it.
Clear emergency signals: Unambiguous signs of emergency reduce pluralistic ignorance.
Modelling: When one person helps, others are more likely to follow.

Application: First Aid Training

First aid courses now specifically teach participants to assign tasks to specific bystanders during emergencies. For example, pointing to someone and saying, "You, call 999" and to another person, "You, find a defibrillator." This approach directly counters diffusion of responsibility and has been shown to improve emergency response in real situations.

Evaluation of Research on Social Factors in Helping

Strengths

Strong experimental evidence from laboratory studies with good control of variables
Real-world observations support laboratory findings
Practical applications for emergency services and public safety

Limitations

Many studies lack ecological validity (real-life situations may differ from laboratory settings)
Ethical concerns about creating realistic emergency scenarios
Cultural bias in research (most studies conducted in Western societies)
Individual differences not always accounted for (personality factors may override social influences)

Conclusion

Social factors have a powerful influence on helping behaviour. Understanding phenomena like the bystander effect and diffusion of responsibility can help us design better emergency response systems and encourage prosocial behaviour in our communities. By recognising these psychological processes, we can all become more likely to help others when they need it most.

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