THE THEFT INCIDENT WAS STAGED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE WAS SOME AMBIGUITY AS TO WHETHER A CRIME WAS ACTUALLY BEING COMMITTED. THE 'VICTIM' OF THE THEFT LEFT HER SHOPPING BAG ON A BENCH BESIDE AN UNKNOWING SUBJECT, AND EITHER ASKED THE SUBJECT TO WATCH THE BAG FOR HER WHILE SHE WENT INTO A STORE OR SIMPLY WALKED AWAY, LEAVING THE BAG ON THE BENCH. THE 'PERPETRATOR,' DRESSED EITHER AS A WORKER, A BUSINESSMAN, OR A PRIEST, PICKED UP THE BAG AND WALKED AWAY WITH IT, CASUALLY. THE SUBJECT'S RESPONSE WAS MEASURED IN TERMS OF HIS OR HER MOVE (BY ACT OR WORD) TO STOP THE PERPETRATOR. THE SUBJECTS, AFTER HAVING BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE EXPERIMENT, ANSWERED QUESTIONS CONCERNING THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE RESULTS, THOUGH NOT UNEQUIVOCAL, SUGGEST THAT OBSERVERS OF POSSIBLY CRIMINAL ACT TEND TO GIVE PERSONS OF HIGHER STATUS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. THE RESULTS ALSO SHOW THAT COMMITMENT -- AGREEING TO WATCH THE BAG -- INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF INTERVENTION. THE FINDINGS ALSO INDICATE THAT, ALTHOUGH PERCEIVED HIGH STATUS MAY CONFUSE THE OBSERVER WITH REGARD TO THE PERPETRATOR'S INTENTIONS, IT DOES NOT INHIBIT THE OBSERVER'S IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)