A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What was the median time taken for passengers to help an ill victim without a model?

1. 5 seconds

2. 30 seconds

3. 80 seconds

4. 120 seconds

The correct answer is: 5 seconds

The median time taken for passengers to help an ill victim without a model is crucial in understanding the dynamics of bystander behavior in emergency situations. In situations where there is no model present, as observed in studies on helping behavior, responses of bystanders tend to be slower due to a variety of factors, including ambiguity in the situation and diffusion of responsibility among witnesses. The answer indicates that the median response time was remarkably quick at 5 seconds. This finding aligns with the notion that in certain contexts, even in the absence of a social cue or model, people may still demonstrate a rapid response to perceived emergencies. The speed of response highlights the instinctual nature of helping behaviors and the immediacy with which individuals can act when they recognize that assistance is needed, even without the influence of others. The other times provided illustrate a scale that suggests longer delays in assistance, which can be misleading in the context of this specific question about median response time where immediate action, like that represented by 5 seconds, was noted as significant. In summary, the choice of 5 seconds captures an important aspect of human behavior in crises that underscores both social dynamics and individual compassion in emergency situations.