Lend me your ears: Racial and sexual factors in helping the deaf

Conducted a field experiment in Grand Central Station in New York City to examine the effects of race and sex on helping dependent deaf persons. The frequency of help given to 4 black or white, male or female confederates pretending to be deaf by 160 hearing black or white, male or female potential helpers was noted. Results show that when males helped individuals of their own race, as opposed to the other race, sex was a critical factor; females were helped more than males. When males helped females, race was not related to helping. When males helped males, white males helped the black male more than the white male. When females helped individuals of their own race, sex was not a critical factor. Sex was critical when help was given to females of the other race only for black females, who helped the black more than the white females. Contrasts are drawn between this study and earlier ones which had race and/or sex unrepresented for helpers and/or dependent confederates. Results are discussed in light of a race-sex linked ingratiation effect.