Piliavin's subway study

• Aim 


  To investigate bystander behaviour in a natural setting
• Method


  Conducted in a New York city subway and the same station. This was a natural experiment.
• Researchers

  103 trials conducted (journey's). 4 researchers took part. 1 researcher played the victim - always male, stood next to a pole in the centre of the carriage. 2 researchers would observe and note how people reacted and the last acted as a 'model' and would offer help if no one else had
• Method


  70 seconds into70 seconds in the victim would collapse. 2 different trials took place. Trial 1 - the victim smelled of alcohol and carried a brown paper bag with a bottle of alcohol, tested 38 times. Trial 2 - victim was sobber and carried a black cane - tested 65 times
• Results

  The person using the cane was helped at some point of the trial 95% of the trials. They were also quicker to be helped. The person who appeared drunk was only helped 50% of the the trials. People helped less when it was busier
• Conclusion

  People are more likely to help when it is less busy and the person is disabled