Year 12 Psychology students continued their group presentation work on famous psychological studies. This block, they have already presented the Milgram shock experiment and the Piliavin Subway Helper study.
Milgram's study sought to understand what factors caused people to obey instructions even if those instructions were destructive or could cause harm to another individual. Answers to the question of obedience came in the form of perceived authority, proximity to the person giving orders, and prestige of the location where orders are given.
Piliavin’s subway helper study looked at what factors influenced a person’s desire to help another person who had fallen down on a subway train in New York City. It was found that people, in most situations, would come to the aid of another person which can give us a little more hope in humanity in general.
