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BYSTANDER RESPONSE TO AN ASSAULT - WHEN A MAN ATTACKS A WOMAN

NCJ Number
39738
Journal
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 34 Issue: 5 Dated: (1976) Pages: 990-999
Author(s)
R L SHOTLAND; M K STRAW
Date Published
1976
Length
10 pages
Annotation
REPORT OF A PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF BYSTANDER RESPONSE TO MALE/FEMALE QUARRELS AND FIGHTS.
Abstract
ONE EXPERIMENT INVOLVED A SITUATION WHERE A FEMALE ACTRESS BEING ATTACKED BY A MALE ACTOR WOULD YELL, 'I DON'T KNOW YOU'. IN ANOTHER EXPERIMENT, THE FEMALE ACTRESS WOULD YELL, 'I DON'T KNOW WHY I EVER MARRIED YOU'. UNSUSPECTING SUBJECT BYSTANDERS WERE THEN ASKED THEIR REASONS FOR INTERVENING OR FOR NOT INTERVENING. ONLY TWO SUBJECTS TOOK ACTION TO STOP THE FIGHTS. IN OTHER EXPERIMENTS, SUBJECTS VIEWED FILMS OF A FIGHT BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN. THEY WERE THEN INTERVIEWED ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS AND PERCEPTIONS. IN OTHER EXPERIMENTS THE STUDENTS FOUND THAT IF THE SUBJECTS KNOW LITTLE ABOUT THE CONFLICT, THEY ARE LIKELY TO PERCEIVE THE PROTAGONISTS AS DATES, LOVERS, OR MARRIED COUPLES RATHER THAN AS STRANGERS, ACQUAINTANCES, OR FRIENDS....BS

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