A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What city showed the highest level of helpfulness in Levine et al.'s results?

1. New York City, USA

2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

3. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

4. Tokyo, Japan

The correct answer is: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In Levine et al.'s study on helpfulness across various cities, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was identified as the city exhibiting the highest level of helpfulness. This conclusion is drawn from the researchers' extensive observational studies, which assessed spontaneous helping behavior in different urban environments by observing how people responded to someone in need (e.g., a person who appeared to be lost or in distress). Rio de Janeiro's cultural dynamics and social norms may have contributed to this increased level of helpfulness, reflecting a communal approach with residents demonstrating higher willingness to assist others compared to the other cities studied. Such findings can be linked to factors such as local social practices, community ties, and cultural attitudes that promote prosocial behaviors. In contrast, the other cities demonstrated varying levels of helpfulness influenced by their unique cultural and social contexts, leading to differences in how residents reacted in similar scenarios presented in the experiments.