CHFA | Psychology Department Showcase: Completed Projects
To Help or Not to Help: Empathy and Effort Required
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
Applied Statistics
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Jana Hackathorn, PhD.
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation - Murray State Access only
Abstract/Description
This study examined factors that play a role in helping behavior. Nine stories were given where participants were asked how likely they were to help in the situation. A double-blind procedure was used where half the participants received stories with a friend, and the other half received stories with a stranger, in need. The results showed a significant difference between friend and stranger on helping behavior, no correlation between empathy and general helping, a main effect based on type of helping, a main effect based on condition, and an interaction between type of helping and condition. The condition, specifically friends, was a good predictor of whether someone would engage in helping behavior. This is important to note because being around friends could reduce someone’s chances of being caught in a situation without help.
Spring Scholars Week 2023 Event
Psychology: Completed Projects
To Help or Not to Help: Empathy and Effort Required
This study examined factors that play a role in helping behavior. Nine stories were given where participants were asked how likely they were to help in the situation. A double-blind procedure was used where half the participants received stories with a friend, and the other half received stories with a stranger, in need. The results showed a significant difference between friend and stranger on helping behavior, no correlation between empathy and general helping, a main effect based on type of helping, a main effect based on condition, and an interaction between type of helping and condition. The condition, specifically friends, was a good predictor of whether someone would engage in helping behavior. This is important to note because being around friends could reduce someone’s chances of being caught in a situation without help.