A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

In the Piliavin et al. study, the researchers used specific attire to manipulate the perceived identity and socioeconomic status of the individuals involved in the field experiment on helping behavior. The confederates were dressed in Eisenhower jackets and old trousers, which were chosen to evoke a particular scenario where the individual in need of help appeared to be of lower status or in distress. This attire was integral to the experiment, as it aimed to investigate how factors such as location, appearance, and type of victim affected bystanders' willingness to help. The choice of clothing was pivotal in stimulating responses from the participants, making the confederates' clothing a critical component of the research design.