Abstract
Abstract Schemas influence interpersonal judgments in ways that can affect behavior toward members of various social categories. In this study, the “wrong number” technique was used to examine the effect of social status on U.S. subjects' decisions to help. The independent variables were the help requester's occupational status (lawyer, gas station attendant, or unspecified) and the helper's socioeconomic status (high or low median neighborhood income). Overall, 62.1% of the subjects helped by making a phone call. Although frequency of help was not affected by the helper's status, X 2(1, N = 240) = 0.64, p > .05, it was affected by the requester's status. Lawyers and requesters with unspecified occupational status received help significantly more often than gas station attendants, X 2(2, N = 240) = 14.90, p < .05. This finding did not support a “similarity effect” in helping.
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