I also had someone demonstrate how to embed a video. Despite this orientation, several of the students did not get onto the blog as they were supposed to do this week's blogging post on the Darley and Latane essay about the Kitty Genovese case. Several students are not reading the directions to the assignments and are losing points for this. I think it is due to lack of attentiveness when the oral directions are explained and the jumping into the assignment without reading what is needed. I don't know what the solution to the problem is.
Anyway, here is the assignment.
Read the true story of Kitty Genovese from the New York Times article written by Martin Gansberg two weeks after the crime.
http://www.angelfire.com/comics/mooreportal/kitty.html
Then answer two of the the following 3 questions.
1. Explain Darley and Latane's "diffusion of responsibility effect" in the Kitty Genovese case and find a similar case from the newspaper in which bystanders were involved and did nothing. Summarize the other case and provide your personal response to the story. Be sure and cite your source.
2. Darley and Latane cite social critics who believe that the United States has become a nation of strangers, alienated and withdrawn from one another. Write a response refuting this claim by summarizing one good Samaritan story from the news in which bystanders did react in a crisis to help someone out. Also, draw on your own or others' experience. Be sure and cite your source for your news story.
3. How could families and schools or communities or religious organizations encourage children to act rather than withdraw when confronted by someone in difficulty. Do some research and explain the steps that this particular institution could take to help develop children's sense of responsibility to others. Develop your points with specific examples of what has been done and what could be done. Be sure and cite your source(s).
There were some good posts on this subject with most students choosing to answer Questions 1 and 2. McKenzee did a nice post on Questions `1 and 2.
When I read about the Kitty Genovese case I found the results shocking yet understandable. Does that make me bad person? I’m sure anyone else who replied to this question would only talk about how it’s awful and inexcusable for the citizen’s actions. In reference to Question 1, I completely understand the "diffusion of responsibility effect". Why would anyone report a murder if in return they only get put as a suspect? The answer is they wouldn’t. The “diffusion of responsibly effect” is when someone that needs helps or in a crisis is ignored by others. There can be two reasons for this, fear and assumption. A person could be afraid to help someone because they could be put involved with it, when the truth is they just happen to be passing by as the right time. Other reasons include having the assumption that someone else is going to help them so they don’t need to. I fell that this effect has be influence by society.
Interesting video relating towards bystanders:
Although a claim has been stated by Darley and Latane in Question 2, about the United States becoming alienated from one another, I don’t believe it’s all true. There are always people that rise above society’s brainwashing ways and do the right thing. On Fox News in Oregon a group of men saw a women getting raped as they drove by. The men stopped the car to pull the guy off of her and held the guy until the cops arrived. There are good people out there; it’s just a matter of instincts and not fearing what’s going to happen if you do take action.
Link to the incident:
http://www.kptv.com/news/14441750/detail.html
I really like the idea of blogging and I feel like it is such a world-wide used method of communicating. I did not to the blog on the case of Kitty Genovese because I accidentally did the assignment on the previous one before you changed it, but when I had time this weekend I did look over the assignment out of curiosity and I found it really interesting.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Anderson
I love the whole theory of the bystander effect. There have been times in my life when I have seen my husband rush to the person to help out. He is soooo good in a crisis. I tend to wait till someone else jumps in.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jennifer, blogging is such a great idea. It really gets your feeling and ideas out there which I feel is great. I found this assignment very interesting and really put some deep thought into it.
ReplyDeleteI am still not to sure about the whole blogging thing, and were we should draw the line on social networking and how much is shared. I think the episode of House,"Private lives" was phenominal at sharing just how bad these blogging sites can really get. If you haven't seen the episode I would higly reccomend you watch it.
ReplyDeleteThis was also a favorite of mine. Ever since I learned about the bystander effect in highs school I have been fascinated. I also have been motivated to attempt to help anybody that I see that is in need. The "kitty" genovese case still blows my mind to this day. but i guess thats why they call it a phenomenon! Since I did my final paper on this subject I found so many different videos and photos and stories about the effect. I also really like the blogging each week. it kind of makes the work a little more lively. I like to do assignemnts in different ways instead of the same old paper n pencil turn it in blah blah blah. blogging is a lot more fun and connects the class better.
ReplyDeleteI agree that blogging is a different and new-age way of sharing your ideas with others and learning different things. It does make it more fun than the old school way. Also, I type a lot faster than I write so it helps me to not forget what I was thinking about writing next. As for the Kitty genovese, I find it absolutely disgusting that not a single person would do a single thing. I would probably be terrified in a crisis but there is no way that I could sit there and not do a thing.
ReplyDeleteThe bystander effect is always an interesting topic and great to blog about, because there so many opinions on it. This is my second blogging account and I have to say I’ve taken much more of an interest in it during your class. In comp 1 all we could blog about was the techniques of writing. What fun is that? Through this whole semester you have kept the blogging very interesting in the topics you choose. Blogging is a great way to experiencing future technology and with you making it fun and interesting, students will only benefit from it!
ReplyDelete