Psychology 101: Introductory Psychology
Professor Geoffrey T. Fong

Helping Behavior and Levels of Analysis:
How Might Different Disciplines Explain Why No One Helped Kitty Genovese

(Overhead Shown In Class on Tuesday, September 12, 2006)

 
 

Discipline

Explanation
     

BROADER LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

Philosophy

Decay of Morals; Inherent Nature of Man
     
 

Sociology

Structure of Society impinges on the individual; anomie/alienation
     
 

Psychology (Developmental)

Certain individuals’ upbringing/learning experiences make them less likely to help
     
 

Psychology (Personality)

Certain types of people are not inclined to help; they are self-interested
     
 

Psychology (Social)

Situational Factors: Number of bystanders, Diffusion of responsibility
     
 

Psychology (Social)

Emotion: Fear, uncertainty
     
 

Psychology (Physiological)

Hormones: Flight
     

MORE SPECIFIC LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

Genetics

Genetic programming: Genes predispose individuals to help or to not help

The point here is that different disciplines focus on different causal explanations, which differ in their "level of analysis." For example, sociologists who focus on how the structure of society might be responsible for the event are focusing on broader explanations than are physiological psychologists, who would focus on the relatively specific explanations having to do with hormonal factors.

Return to Lecture Outline #1

Return to the Psychology 101 Home Page