Psychology · Year 11 · Social Influence · 3.º Período

Prosocial Behaviour and Bystander Intervention

Students explore the bystander effect and factors influencing prosocial behaviour. They will review Piliavin's subway study and the impact of deindividuation.

TL;DR:Prosocial behaviour refers to actions intended to help others, while the bystander effect explains why we often fail to act in emergencies. Students study Piliavin’s subway study, which challenged the idea of 'diffusion of responsibility' by showing that people are more likely to help when they can't easily escape the situation. They also investigate deindividuation, the loss of individual identity in a crowd, and how it can lead to anti-social or collective behaviour.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• AQA GCSE Psychology 3.2.1.5 Prosocial behaviour
• AQA GCSE Psychology 3.2.1.6 Crowd and collective behaviour

About This Topic

Prosocial behaviour refers to actions intended to help others, while the bystander effect explains why we often fail to act in emergencies. Students study Piliavin’s subway study, which challenged the idea of 'diffusion of responsibility' by showing that people are more likely to help when they can't easily escape the situation. They also investigate deindividuation, the loss of individual identity in a crowd, and how it can lead to anti-social or collective behaviour.

This topic is highly engaging for Year 11s as it touches on social justice and personal ethics. It connects to the broader curriculum by examining how situational factors (like crowd size) and personal factors (like expertise) interact. Active learning through simulations and case study analysis allows students to explore the 'cost-reward' model of helping, making the abstract concepts of social psychology feel immediate and relevant.

Key Questions

1. What is the bystander effect?
2. How does the presence of others influence helping behaviour?
3. What causes deindividuation in crowds?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

People don't help because they are selfish or uncaring.

What to Teach Instead

The bystander effect is often caused by 'pluralistic ignorance' (looking to others to see if it's an emergency) or 'diffusion of responsibility'. Using simulations helps students see that even 'good' people can be frozen by situational cues.

Common Misconception

Deindividuation always leads to violence.

What to Teach Instead

Deindividuation can also lead to positive collective behaviour, like a crowd singing together at a concert. A gallery walk showing different crowd behaviours can help students see the nuance in this concept.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game

The Bystander Dilemma

A 'staged' minor incident occurs in the classroom (e.g., a student drops a large pile of papers). The teacher varies the conditions, sometimes the class is busy, sometimes only one student is present, to observe and then discuss the factors that led to helping.

25 min·Whole Class

Inquiry Circle

Piliavin vs Latane & Darley

Groups compare Piliavin’s subway study with the earlier 'smoke-filled room' study. They must create a chart showing why the results differed, focusing on factors like 'diffusion of responsibility' and the 'cost of helping'.

40 min·Small Groups

Role Play

Deindividuation in the Digital Age

Students act out a scenario involving an anonymous online forum. They discuss how being 'hidden' by a screen (deindividuation) changes how people speak to each other compared to a face-to-face conversation.

30 min·Small Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'diffusion of responsibility'?

This occurs when there are many people present in an emergency. Each person feels less personally responsible for helping because they assume someone else will take action, often leading to no one helping at all.

What did Piliavin’s subway study find?

Piliavin found that people were very likely to help a 'victim' on a subway train, especially if the victim appeared ill rather than drunk. This suggested that when people are in a confined space and can't leave, the 'cost' of not helping increases.

How does deindividuation affect behaviour?

Deindividuation happens when people feel anonymous in a crowd or behind a mask. This reduces their sense of individual responsibility and self-awareness, which can lead them to follow the group's behaviour, whether it is aggressive or prosocial.

How can active learning help students understand prosocial behaviour?

Active learning, such as simulating bystander scenarios, forces students to confront the psychological barriers to helping. By 'feeling' the hesitation caused by a crowd, they gain a deeper understanding of 'pluralistic ignorance'. These experiences make the theories of social influence much more vivid, helping students to write more insightful and evaluative exam answers.