Blog 3: Why Don't People Help in a Crisis?

1) Identify the thesis of the essay and where it is located in the essay and what type of argument the writers are developing.

A) I believe that the authors' thesis is "As we shall show, the presence of other bystanders may at each stage inhibit his action." They placed it in the last paragraph of the introduction in the middle of pp 418. I believe that this is a constructive argument.

2) Interpret and explain in your own words the authors’ statement, “It’s a rare traveler who, in picking a roadside restaurant, chooses to stop at one where no other cars appear in the parking lot” (419).

A) The authors are saying that most people make their decisions based on the decisions from those around them. They state, "A person trying to interpret a situation often looks at those around him to see how he should react (419)." The majority of people don't like standing alone in a decision. Others have a huge impact on one's decision. People tend to go with the flow.

3) Find an online article that is related to this reading. Be sure it includes a crisis where there was or was not a “Good Samaritan” involved (provide source). Explain how your article connects to the essay (supports the claim or refutes the claim). If you Google Kitty Genovese, you will read more about this shocking story.

A) This was a very unfortunate article and it ties in perfectly with the essay. To make a long story short, a mother was assaulted by two teen girls on a city bus. The brawl moved to the sidewalk where at least thirty people passed by without doing anything to help. Unfortunately there were no Good Samaritans present. This article defends the authors' thesis, the presence of others inhibits one's actions. No one helped because everyone seemed hesitant. Each individual acted on the decisions of everyone else, not to help. In the essay the two authors write, "...the presence of other bystanders may still make him less likely to intervene." This is exactly the case.
Source: http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/528690

4) Draw on your own experience or the experience of someone you know and describe an incident when you or your friends did or did not choose to help someone in a crisis.

A) My friend just recently called me from Pennsylvania and told me about a fight he was involved in. It was his fault but he did apologize and wanted to make it up. The others insisted that they fight. To my friend's disadvantage, he was hit from behind and knocked to the ground. He was getting kicked and punched and the two other people he was with did nothing to help. The two friends were hesitant to act because the other was too. This story and the one above about the mother definitely support Darley and Latane's claim.