EFFECTS OF URBAN SIZE, URGENCY, AND COST ON HELPFULNESS - A CROSS-CULTURAL-COMPARISON BETWEEN THE UNITED-KINGDOM AND THE SUDAN

The effects of urban size, urgency, and cost on helpfulness in the United Kingdom and the Sudan were compared. The first study examined the return rates of letters that were either unmarked or marked urgent and that were dropped face up either close to or distant from a mailbox. Analysis of return rates showed main effects of urban size, urgency, and cost, but no significant difference between countries. The second study investigated responses to requests for a street interview made under different urgency and cost conditions. Main effects of urban size, urgency, and cost were found, but there was no significant effect of country. In both countries, people were less helpful in the city, when the situation was not urgent, and when helping entailed high personal cost.