PSYCH 414 Lecture Notes - Murder Of Kitty Genovese, Social Proof
Document Summary
The more people who witness an emergency, the less likely it is for any of them to help. In your own personal emergency, hope there are few witnesses. Interpret the event as an emergency: notice the event. 2: assume responsibility, know appropriate form of assistance, decide to implement the help. In order for people to help, they must know that help is needed (duh) Darley and batson (1973) had seminary students (future priests) walk past a confederate who was collapsed in the doorway. Those in a hurry were much less likely to help. How do we know that what we are seeing is really an emergency? (informational social influence) Pluralistic ignorance: in an ambiguous situation, everyone is looking to everyone else for clues about the situation. If no one reacts (because no one else is reacting) then everyone will interpret the situation as a non-emergency.
