Effects of race on the elicitation of helping behavior: The wrong number technique.

Abstract

Used a nonreactive field research technique to indicate the extent to which racial attitudes affect helping behavior in the general adult population. 540 black ss and 569 white ss received what was ostensibly a wrong number telephone call. The caller, clearly identifiable by his voice characteristics as being black or white, explained that he was attempting to reach his mechanic from a public phone booth located on the parkway because his car had broken down. The caller further claimed that he had no more change with which to make another phone call to the garage. The s could help the caller by contacting his garage for him. The relative frequency with which black and white men were helped was used as an indication of racial discrimination. Results show that black ss extended relatively equivalent levels of assistance to blacks and to whites. However, white ss helped black callers somewhat less frequently than white callers. In addition, ignoring the race of the s and the caller, male ss helped more often than female ones. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)