Weakness Of The Masses
Have you ever been in a situation where, because of the numbers in your group, you didn’t really give it your all? For example, maybe on an academic group project you weren’t as diligent as you would have been had you been solely responsible for the assignment. Or, maybe you’ve helped push a stalled car to safety with some other people but didn’t really push your hardest.
When we find ourselves in groups, there is a diffusion of responsibility. Sometimes we don’t know whether we should even involve ourselves in the first place, since there are so many other people who could take action. Have you ever seen someone pulled over on the side of the road, but you just kept driving along with all the other cars speeding by? When there are large numbers of people involved, we tend to assume someone else will respond and take action first, or we might conclude that our help is not really needed.
Numerous studies demonstrate that when someone is in trouble or in need of help, as the number of bystanders increases, the number of people who actually help decreases. Termed “Bystander Apathy,” this effect occurs because, in almost any situation, the more people that are present, the more we feel a diffusion of responsibility. Our sense of social pressure is lessened when we feel that there might be any number of people more capable of helping than we are.
Another experiment conducted in New York highlighted this tendency for “Bystander Apathy.” It determined that when a lone individual observed smoke leaking from under a door, 75 percent of those studied reported the smoke. In groups of three, however, reporting incidences dropped to 38 percent. If in that group two people encouraged the third person to do nothing, reporting of the smoke dropped to 10 percent.
Often we don’t know whether we are really witnessing an emergency or not. For example, if we see a man collapsed on the floor, we might waver between two conclusions: Did he just have a heart attack or did he pass out because he’d been drinking too much? So, bystanders may be “apathetic” more because of uncertainty than insensitivity. And if they are uncertain, then they often don’t help because they don’t know if they’re responsible for doing so.
Everybody else observing the event is also likely to be looking for social evidence. Because most people prefer to appear poised and levelheaded when in the presence of others, they are likely to search for that evidence with brief glances at those around them. Therefore, everyone sees everyone else looking unflustered and failing to act. When people clearly know their responsibilities in a recognized and obvious emergency, however, they are remarkably quick to respond.
Festinger, Pepitone, and coined the term “de-individuation” in 1952. De-individuation refers to how, when we find ourselves in a group, we become less self-aware and also less concerned with how others will evaluate us.19 Think of all the people you’ve heard yell obscenities at sporting events. Do you think they would do that if they were in a small, intimate group watching that same event? Basically, de-individuation means that when in a group, we feel more anonymous and therefore less individually responsible for our actions, often causing us to say or do things that we would not normally feel comfortable with.
Diener, Fraser, Beamnan, and Kelemn conducted a study that showed how de-individuation can lead to antisocial behavior. On Halloween, researchers evaluated 1,352 trick-or-treaters–either alone or in groups–who had the chance to steal candy from twenty-seven Seattle homes. The researchers figured that Halloween would be the perfect occasion to conduct such a study because the children would be in costume, making them more anonymous. When the children came to doors where they were greeted by experimenters, they were told they could choose only one piece of candy. In some cases, the experimenter asked the children their names, while in other cases the children were allowed to remain anonymous. The experimenter would then leave the room, as though they had to go get something. Unseen observers took careful note of how the children responded: When alone, 7.5 percent took more than one piece of candy; when in groups, 20.8 percent took more than one piece! It was also interesting to observe that the children who remained anonymous stole more candy than did the children who gave out their names. De-individuation prompted many of the trick-or-treaters to go against what was socially acceptable and steal more candy.
One particular case in history stands out as a classic example of Bystander Apathy. Catherine Genovese, a young woman living in New York City, was murdered one night when returning home from work. The unfortunate truth of the matter was that, in a city like New York, her death was just another of countless murders. Consequently, the incident didn’t receive any more coverage than a few short lines in The New York Times. Genovese’s story would have remained an obscure and incidental case had it not been for the publicity given one additional fact of her killing.
A week later, A.M. Rosenthal, editor of the New York Times, went out to lunch with the city police commissioner. Rosenthal asked the commissioner about another homicide in the area, but the commissioner, mistakenly thinking he was being asked about the Genovese case, revealed a shocking piece of information that had been uncovered by the police. Genovese’s death had not been a silent, hidden, or secretive occurrence. Rather, it had been a loud, drawn-out, public event. As her attacker chased her down and stabbed her three separate times in a 35-minute period, thirty-eight neighbors watched from their apartment windows and didn’t even call the police! Rosenthal promptly assigned a team to investigate this incidence of “Bystander Apathy.” Soon after, the New York Times came out with a lengthy, front-page article detailing the incident and the alleged reactions of the neighbors:
For more than half an hour, 38 respectable, law-abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens. Twice the sound of their voices and the sudden glow of their bedroom lights interrupted him and frightened him off. Each time he returned, sought her out, and stabbed her again. Not one person telephoned the police during the assault; one witness called after the woman was dead.”
Everyone was completely stunned and baffled. How could people just witness such a scene and do absolutely nothing? Even the very neighbors alluded to in the article didn’t know how to explain their inaction. Responses included, “I don’t know,” “I was afraid,” and “I didn’t want to get involved.” These “explanations” didn’t really answer anything. Why couldn’t one of them have just made a quick, anonymous call to the police? Different branches of the media–newspapers, TV stations, magazines, radio stations–pursued their own studies and investigations to explain the incredible scenario, all o f them finally arriving at the same conclusion: The witnesses simply didn’t care. They concluded that there was just no other explanation, or so they thought.
Do you really think thirty-eight people did not care enough to make an anonymous phone call? Did the researchers not understand the diffusion of responsibility? The neighbors did not react, thinking someone else would help or someone else would call the police. Most of us are good people. If each individual neighbor knew it was up to them to phone the police and get help, I guarantee they would have made the call.
Kurt Mortensen
http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-articles/weakness-of-the-masses-115095.html
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Top 3 Reasons for Renting a Loft Apartment
Besides having the most amazing living space of any apartment layout, loft apartments offer much more than just a roof over your head. Loft living is a lifestyle craved by those who dream of living in the big city, just as Hollywood painted this picture of existence in our minds. After all, who can forget about Tom Hank’s colossal loft apartment in “Big” that had ceilings high enough for him and co-star Elizabeth Perkins to jump on the trampoline next to his bunk bed!
Loft apartments began to make their mark back in the 1950′s Soho District of New York. Once-prosperous industrial buildings weren’t able to change and modernize with the world around it. Frantic landlords began renting the high-ceilinged, large windowed spaces to the growing art community of the area, as studios were tough to come by at a reasonable rate. The artists began living in these “lofts”, even though zoning laws of the day prohibited such uses. A series of pulleys and false walls could trick even the cleverest inspector from catching a glimpse into the living area of the artist’s “studio”.
Since then, Loft apartments have popped up all over the globe, and taken on a whole new genre of occupants in the process. If you’re contemplating the possibility of this carefree living style, below are the Top 3 Reasons for Living in a Loft Apartment-
1.Open Space and Delineate Your Own Areas- The simple design of a loft apartment is straightforward- literally. A wide-open space replaces walls, doors and rooms of traditional apartment floor plans, allowing you to move around and place your belongings and furniture wherever you’d like, not where you “have to”. The open floor plan allows you to make your bed in one area one week, and in a completely different spot the next.
2.Eclectic Style- Bringing the old and new worlds together is part of the ambiance of loft living. Where else can you reside and have 100 year old plank-wood floors, 6-foot tall windows, an off-white sheet for a curtain (with duct-tape pull-backs), all pulled together by the latest contemporary sofa, straight off the line from your favorite New York designer?
3.Big City Living without Sacrificing Breathing Space- Living in a city has traditionally meant a tiny apartment without room to breathe. The other option was to live in suburbia, which meant a daily commute into work in a car, bus, or commuter train. Loft apartments grant their residents the best of both worlds, as this type of residence is much cheaper to construct and/or maintain from a landlord point of view, and the savings are typically passed onto their tenants.
Maria Hayden
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/top-3-reasons-for-renting-a-loft-apartment-57755.html
Higher Education in Usa, Study Abroad in Usa Some Facts and Tips
http://engineersguideonline.blogspot.com
Information regarding admission:
- Most (Almost All) Universities in USA require TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language) for foreign Nationals and GRE (Graduate Record Examination) for both In state and Out state Students.
- TOEFL is waived for countries whose native language is English Like UK, Australia, Canada…).
- For Foreign nationals three Letters of Recommendation sealed) ,copies of Official Transcripts sealed) (Note: Some Universities accept Copies verified by Notary) are required. For Working people they may get two letters from current Employers but generally Letters from Professors are preferred.
- Most of the Universities require Undergraduate GPA to be 3/4 (US system). It is equivalent to 80/100,12/20*(China) and 1st Division ,65%*(For most Indian University).
- The Deadline for Fall Semester are from Dec 15 to July. But apply as early as possible. Many decisions are made before the deadline. Foreign nationals may take up to 8 weeks to hear their results. In state students may hear within 5 weeks.
Financing Education
- Facts
- The cost of Study Tuition and fees) in USA varies from $5000 to $35000 (or more) per year.
- The cost of living depends on location. For example States like Washington, California and area around New York is costly.
- In general the cost of living may vary from $6000 to $10000.
- Renting an apartment can vary from $450 to$1000 (or more). Downtown (Chicago) may costs around $1200 for studio while it may be around $400 for Des Moines (IA).
- Grocery is Really cheap (Walmart!).
- It is assumed that students will live in shared Apartments, Live out of Campus and have less Telephone bills and other expenses are at bay.
- Most of (nearly) all expenses Living only not Tuition fees) can be met while working on Campus Jobs. The hourly pay for on Campus jobs Pay from $5 to $15 (sometimes more) per hour.
- Foreign Students can work for 20 hrs per week and 40 hrs per week during summer. Students may be allowed to work out Campus after nine months of their arrival at USA.
- Students receiving any type of AID Like TA/RA/Fellowship or GA don’t have to worry about costs. But Students not receiving any AID must come prepared for Tuition fees and Living cost for initial 2-3 months.
- In some Universities TA/RA cover part of tuition fees and not all tuition fee is waived.
For Compleate article please go to site:
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http://engineersguideonline.blogspot.com
http://engineersguideonline.blogspot.com/2008/12/higher-education-in-usa-study-abroad-in.html
Free Engineering Guide
http://www.articlesbase.com/international-studies-articles/higher-education-in-usa-study-abroad-in-usa-some-facts-and-tips-690935.html
New York Apartment help! Is there any way of getting around supplying bank statements?
I am moving to New York in May. Right now I don’t have anything for money. My job is unpaid for 4 months. I have a lawsuit settlement coming in the next three weeks! How can I visit all these apartments if everyone requires bank statements and employment letters? Is there any way of getting around this????
The only way around it will be to find a private party rental with a landlord who will trust that you are "good for it".