Piliavin Evaluation

Replicable? 

• Standard instructions and procedure

Data interpretation 

• Objective data
• No inter-rater reliability as the observers were measuring different things

Controls

• Same train = used this train because it allows enough time for the experiment to be carried out (7.5 minutes)
• Same time of day = avoids regular commuters who may see the experiment multiple times due to travelling at the same time everyday
• Victims = All the victims were; male, well dressed, similar ages and stood in the same place (Next to a pole in the critical area) and did the same thing (Falling after 70 seconds and laying still starring at the ceiling until they received help

Population

• Ethnocentric as the sample way only American

Ecological

• In natural setting and they didn't know it was an experiment

Internal (Independent variable affecting the dependent variable)

• A lot of extraneous variables were controlled so we can be sure the independent variable affected the dependent variable and not anything else

Construct (Measuring what they set out tomorrow)

• They were measuring people helping in a public place

Strengths

• Easy to obtain (opportunity sample)
• Both males and females in the sample

Weaknesses

• Participants may have had similar characteristics due to; same area of New York, travelling by train (rather than car), same time of say (may be unemployed)

Quantitative Data

Strengths;

• Objective so is easy to interpret
• Can show trends and test for significance

Weaknesses;

• Lacks detail of why something happened

Qualitative Data

Strengths;

• Gives us a reason for why something happened

Weaknesses;

• Harder to interpret because its subjective

Informed consent - No consent was taken

Deception - They weren't told it was an experiment

Confidentiality - Their names weren't taken or released

Debrief - They weren't debriefed 

Protection - They may have been mentally harmed (e.g. stress)

Observation - They were observed in public place

Withdrawal - They didn't know it was an experiment so they couldn't withdraw