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The “Flash” System: A Field Study of Altruism 1
Author(s) -
Penner Louis A.,
Dertke Max C.,
Achenbach Carole J.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1973.tb02403.x
Subject(s) - flash (photography) , psychology , function (biology) , field (mathematics) , social psychology , optics , physics , mathematics , evolutionary biology , pure mathematics , biology
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an experimental automated highway‐help system for stranded motorists (the Flash system). Direct and indirect helping behavior rates as a function of the race and sex of supposedly stranded drivers on the Flash‐equipped highway were compared to helping rates on a comparable, non‐Flash‐equipped highway. The results indicated that the automated system produced ( a ) higher overall helping rates and ( b ) higher helping rates for white persons, with type of help (direct or indirect) interacting with confederate sex.