The presence of other people is likely to increase helping in emergency situations when
A) the situation is ambiguous.
B) the people who are present act alarmed.
C) diffusion of responsibility occurs.
D) pluralistic ignorance occurs.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When other people act alarmed, it signals to others that help is needed and can trigger a sense of urgency and responsibility to assist. This is known as social influence or social cues, and it can overcome the negative effects of diffusion of responsibility and pluralistic ignorance. A is not necessarily true because ambiguity can create confusion and uncertainly, which can impede helping behavior. C and D are both barriers to helping, so increasing the presence of people could exacerbate these effects rather than overcome them.

The Presence of Other People Is Likely to Increase Helping