Hi-- The last few sentences are interesting: "For all these years, the 38 witnesses have been portrayed as freaks who displayed a depraved indifference to human life and suffering. If my take on the case is correct, then the truth is far less sensational. At worst, they were just 38 ordinary people who fumbled."
ACTUALLY, this is exactly the lesson that social psychologists have emphasized: that most (ordinary) people are susceptible to the pressure of the situation. As Aronson says, "People who do crazy things aren't necessarily crazy". The case lives on in social psychology as a great example of the power of the situation. We do not claim that the participants willfully or completely knowlingly failed to help Kitty. It is exactly because the situation was ambiguous, ill-defined, and dangerous that made the bystander effect (diffusion of responsibility) likely. Interesting stuff... -Mike ----------------------------- Michael J. Tagler, Ph.D. Psychology Department 102C Harrison Hall 7 Larabee St. DePauw University Greencastle, IN 46135 office: (765) 658-5925 fax: (765) 658-4572 --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
