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The Effects of Effort and Stigma on Helping
1a University of Toronto.
The Journal of Social Psychology
|February 1, 2017
Summary
Helping stigmatized individuals is less likely when the effort required is high. This bystander intervention study reveals that increased costs amplify avoidance of those perceived as stigmatized.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Bystander intervention research explores factors influencing helping behavior.
- Stigmatization can impact social interactions and willingness to assist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the perceived stigmatization of a person and the costs associated with helping influence bystander intervention.
- To examine the interplay between social costs and helping behavior.
Main Methods:
- Employed a bystander intervention paradigm with 200 Canadian adults on subway platforms.
- Manipulated the type of person (stigmatized vs. non-stigmatized) and the cost of helping (high vs. low effort).
Main Results:
- No significant difference in helping was observed between stigmatized and non-stigmatized individuals under low-effort conditions.
- Participants were significantly less likely to help stigmatized individuals when the helping effort was high (p < .05).
Conclusions:
- The desire to avoid stigmatized individuals increases sensitivity to the costs of helping.
- Helping costs are amplified in the presence of a stigmatized person, leading to reduced intervention.
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