Active learning ideas
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.
Activity 01
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.
What is the bystander effect?
Activity 02
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'.
How does the presence of others influence helping behaviour?
Activity 03
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.
What causes deindividuation in crowds?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
People don't help because they are selfish or uncaring.
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.
Deindividuation always leads to violence.
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.
Methods used in this brief
Conformity and Dispositional Factors
Students analyse why people conform to group pressures, examining Asch's research and the role of dispositional factors. They will differentiate between normative and informational social influence.
8 methodologies
Obedience and Authority
An investigation into obedience, focusing on Milgram's agency theory and Adorno's authoritarian personality. Students will discuss the ethical implications of obedience research.
8 methodologies