Skip to main content

The Unresponsive Urbanite: Personal versus Situational Determinants

  • Chapter
  • 115 Accesses

Part of the book series: The Plenum Social Ecology Series ((PSES))

Abstract

The urbanite, according to popular stereotype, is regarded as more socially aloof and less interpersonally responsive and helpful than the rural dweller. Widespread media reaction to the killing of Kitty Genovese within view of 38 passive residents in her New York City neighborhood encouraged an interest on the part of social psychologists in the phenomenon of the “unresponsive bystander” (cf. Latane & Darley, 1970). To date, however, social psychological knowledge in this area has been inconclusive and contradictory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bern, D. J., & Allen, A. On predicting some of the people some of the time: The search for cross-situational consistencies in behavior. Psychological Review, 1974, 81, 506–520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caplan, N., & Nelson, S. D. On being useful: The nature and consequences of psychological research on social problems. American Psychologist, 1973, 28, 199–211.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. D., III, & Word, L. E. Why don’t by-standers help? Because of ambiguity? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1972, 24, 392–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekehammar, B. Interactionism in personality from a historical perspective. Psychological Bulletin, 1975, 81, 1026–1028.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Endler, N. S., & Hunt, J. McV. S-R inventories of hostility and comparisons of the proportions of variance from persons, responses and situations for hostility and anxiousness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1968, 9, 114–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. Social psychology as history. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1973, 26, 308–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korte, C. Helpfulness in Dutch society as a function of urbanization and environmental input. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1975, 32, 996–1003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latane, B., & Darley, J. M. The unresponsive bystander: Why doesn’t he help? New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesk, S., & Zippel, B. Dependency, threat, and helping in a large city. Journal of Social Psychology, 1975, 95, 185–186.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Merrens, M. R. Nonemergency helping behavior in various sized communities. Journal of Social Psychology, 1973, 90, 327–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milgram, S. The experience of living in cities. Science, 1970, 167, 1461–1468.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mischel, W. Toward a cognitive social learning reconceptualization of personality. Psychological Review, 1973, 80, 252–283.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, W. C. Situational specificity in altruistic behavior. Representative Research in Social Psychology, 1973, 4, 56–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Price, R. H., & Bouffard, D. L. Behavioral appropriateness and situational constraint as dimensions of social behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1974, 30, 579–586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheider, F. W., & Mockus, Z. Failure to find a rural-urban difference in incidence of altruistic behavior. Psychological Reports, 1974, 35, 294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherrod, D. R., & Downs, R. Environmental determinants of altruism: The effects of stimulus overload and perceived control on helping. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1974, 10, 468–479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, F. H. Altruism, ambience, and action: The effects of rural and urban rearing on helping behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976, 34, 112–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1978 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Holahan, C.J. (1978). The Unresponsive Urbanite: Personal versus Situational Determinants. In: Environment and Behavior. The Plenum Social Ecology Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2430-0_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2430-0_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-2432-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-2430-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics