Study 1: Research subjects are asked to fill out a questionnaire in a waiting room. Before long, smoke started to come into the room through a small wall vent. The researchers were interested in determining whether subjects would investigate the situation to see if it was an emergency and how long it would take before doing so. The researchers varied the number of subjects in the waiting room—sometimes there was just one subject in the room alone, sometimes three subjects were in the room, and sometimes there was one subject and two other people (who were confederates[1] of the experimenter and who ignored the smoke and continued working on the questionnaire). Predict how the subjects responded. In which situation were the research subjects most likely to check out whether the smoke posed a threat (alone, with 2 other subjects, with 2 confederates who ignored the smoke)? In which situation were they least likely to check out whether the smoke posed a threat? Explain the reasons for your predictions.

I think the subject is more likely to check out whether the smoke posed a threat if they are alone. If they are the only one in the room, the threat of a possible fire would threaten them the most, and there is no one else to deal with it. It’s a question of necessity, and in this case, it is necessary that they check it out.  If they are with two other subjects, I think the first person to notice the smoke would most likely investigate, and the other subjects would most likely help.  Perhaps, the first person to notice it would question the other two as to if they thought it was a threat, and after discussing it (probably very quickly) they would all investigate. However, if the subject was with two confederates who ignored it, I think the subject would most likely ignore it also, reasoning that if two other people are ignoring it, it must not be a threat. Though perhaps the subject would question the other two, and ask them if they thought it necessary to investigate.

Study 2:  Subjects in a testing room heard a female experimenter (who was behind a curtain) climb on a chair to retrieve a book from a shelf. They then heard the experimenter fall to the floor and groan: “Oh, my God—my foot . . . I . . . can’t move it. Oh . . . my ankle . . . I can’t get this thing off me.”  Her groans lasted for another minute and the entire episode lasted about two minutes. The research subjects were either alone in the room when they heard the accident or in the room with two other subjects.  Predict how the subjects responded. In which of the conditions (alone or with others) were the research subjects more likely to help the woman? Explain the reasons for your prediction.

I think that in this situation it would not matter whether the subject was alone or with other subjects. I think that both would help her immediately, or the single subject would help her immediately.  Obviously, it is something that they couldn’t ignore.  I can’t think of a reason for not trying to help the woman. 

Study 3: Two male and two female experimenters boarded a subway train separately. The two females took notes and recorded results. The two men remained standing. As the train began to move one of the men lurched forward and collapsed. He lay on the floor, face upward, staring at the ceiling until someone came to his aid. If no one helped, the other male experimenter eventually helped the “victim” to his feet. Several variations of this incident were staged by the experimenters. Sometimes the victim carried a black cane and looked ill, sometimes he smelled of alcohol and carried a bottle of liquor in a brown paper bag.  Predict how the bystanders responded. In which condition were they more likely to help? Explain the reasons for your predictions.

I think most people would help the fallen man, especially if after a few moments no one moved to help him.  I think if he was carrying a black cane and looked ill, more people would be more likely to help him, and sooner, because they would feel sorry for him and be worried about his condition. On the other hand, some people might not help him for the very same reason, that they might worry that he is ill and they could catch something.  I think very few people would help the man if he was carrying a bottle of alcohol and smelled of alcohol, because they wouldn’t feel sorry for him and would think that it’s his own fault if he falls down. However, the same fact that he seemed drunk might move people to help him, especially if they were worried that he hurt himself, or perhaps they might have known someone who was an alcoholic or have been an alcoholic themselves. Also, they might think that because he’s “drunk” no one else will help them, and that it is up to them to do it.  

Study 4: Research subjects volunteered to participate in what they thought was a study looking at personal problems of university students. Subjects were led into a room where they put on headphones and spoke into a microphone. They were told they would carry on a conversation with other students located in other rooms in the corridor. The reason for being alone rather than face to face for the conversation was to avoid embarrassment and remain anonymous while discussing personal problems. The experimenter indicated he would not listen to the conversation and would give them a questionnaire to fill out after the conversation. Each subject had two minutes to speak during which the other microphones would be turned off—other subjects could listen but not be heard.

Subjects were led to believe that there were either 2, 3 or 6 subjects taking part in the conversation. In reality there was only one real subject; all the other student voices were just tape recordings. The actual subject was the last to speak. The first “person” to speak admitted that it was hard getting used to living in NYC and his academic work was also very difficult. The person went on to describe having epileptic seizures—especially during stressful times like when working hard or during exam time. All the other subjects then contributed their individual two minute statements to the conversation. When it was the first person’s turn to speak again he began to sputter and speak incoherently about feeling ill and like a seizure was coming on. He continued to speak incoherently while asking for help.

In which conditions were the subjects more or less likely to leave their room and try to help the victim (when the only other person was the victim, when there were two other people, when there were five other people in the conversation?) Explain the reasons for your prediction.   

I think people would be least likely to help the “student” when there were two or five other people in the conversation. Not many people would know what to do, and most people would likely be frightened by this, so they would all use the excuse that one of the other people will surely help the student. If they think they are the only other person, I think everyone would attempt to help the student, simply because they would think that they were the only one able to.