Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

488 CHAPTER 11 Social PsychologypersuasionThe deliberate attempt to influence theattitudes or behavior of another person ina situation in which that person has somefreedom of choice.with a twist. People are less likely to help a stranger in very big cities (300,000people or more) or in very small towns (5,000 people or less). Either extreme—very big or very small—seems to work against helping a stranger.• Vague or ambiguous situations. When situations are ambiguous and people arenot certain that help is needed, they’re less likely to offer help (Solomon & others,1978). The ambiguity of the situation may also have worked against KittyGenovese. The people in the apartment building saw a man and a woman strugglingon the street below but had no way of knowing whether the two were acquainted.“We thought it was a lovers’ quarrel,” some of the witnesses later said(Gansberg, 1964). Researchers have found that people are especially reluctantto intervene when the situation appears to be a domestic dispute or a “lovers’quarrel,” because they are not certain that assistance is wanted (Shotland &Straw, 1976).• When the personal costs for helping outweigh the benefits. As a general rule, wetend to weigh the costs as well as the benefits of helping in deciding whetherto act. If the potential costs outweigh the benefits, it’s less likely that peoplewill help (Dovidio & others, 1991; Hedge & Yousif, 1992). The witnesses inthe Genovese case may have felt that the benefits of helping Genovese wereoutweighed by the potential hassles and danger of becoming involved in thesituation.On a small yet universal scale, the murder of Kitty Genovese dramatically underscoresthe power of situational and social influences on our behavior. Althoughsocial psychological research has provided insights about the factors that influencedthe behavior of those who witnessed the Genovese murder, it should not be construedas a justification for the inaction of the bystanders. After all, Kitty Genovese’sdeath probably could have been prevented by a single phone call. If we understandthe factors that decrease helping behavior, we can recognize and overcome thoseobstacles when we encounter someone who needs assistance. If you had been KittyGenovese, how would you have hoped other people would react?>> Closing ThoughtsWe began this chapter with a Prologue about Fern trying to help a stranger in astrange city. As it turned out, Fern’s social perceptions of the man were inaccurate:He was not a homeless person living on the streets of San Francisco. As simple asthis incident was, it underscored a theme that was repeatedly echoed throughoutour subsequent discussions of person perception, attribution, and attitudes. Oursubjective impressions, whether they are accurate or not, play a pivotal role in howwe perceive and think about other people.A different theme emerged in our later discussions of conformity, obedience, andhelping behavior. Social and situational factors, especially the behavior of others inthe same situation, can have powerful effects on how we act at a given moment. Butlike Fern, each of us has the freedom to choose how we respond in a given situation.When we’re aware of the social forces that influence us, it can be easier for us tochoose wisely.In the final analysis, we are social animals who often influence one another’sthoughts, perceptions, and actions, sometimes in profound ways. In the followingEnhancing Well-Being with Psychology section, we’ll look at some of the ways thatsocial psychological insights have been applied by professional persuaders—andhow you can counteract attempts to persuade you.