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Program Contents: 33 minute DVD.

Captioning: Subtitled

Copyright Date: 2008

Spark class discussion on civic responsibility with this compilation of ABC News segments. Each scenario involves onlookers who—unaware that they are observing actors in staged situations—exhibit a variety of responses, from complacency to outrage. Scenes include flagrant littering at a seaside resort; displays of hypocrisy when the chance to be a Good Samaritan arises; illegal use of a disabled-only spot, even as a truly deserving driver attempts to park there; and another parking-space dispute, this one concerning severe damage to surrounding cars and an offending driver who doesn’t care. Viewers will find several opportunities to explore the meaning of good citizenship and the importance of community involvement.

  

1. Citizen Intervention: Handicapped Parking Violators (04:33) - In a staged performance, actors for ABC park in spaces reserved for handicapped people. Over 700 people walk by but do not intervene. One woman does. She is a "crusader" for parking violators because her husband is handicapped.

2. Citizen Intervention: Property Damage (02:43) - How many citizens care if a female driver damages other people's cars? In this staged incident, most people ignore the damage to a stranger's car. Several women intervene.

3. Citizen Intervention: Sense of Justice (04:17) - When a male driver damages other cars while he parallel parks, one female citizen takes charge of the situation and calls the police. This woman wants to do the right thing. Another woman runs after the perpetrator. What motivates her to do so?

4. What is a Good Samaritan? (03:17) - ABC News stages situations in which people are in distress. Who will come to their aid? This experiment reveals that most people pass by the victim even though they just reviewed the biblical story of the Good Samaritan.

5. Citizen Intervention and Time Pressure (02:57) - In an ABC News experiment, citizens acted like good Samaritans when they saw someone suffering. How are these people different from those who ignore human suffering? More people stop to help if they feel they have time to do so.

6. What Motivations Good Samaritans? (04:21) - Good Samaritans discuss their reasons for helping fellow human beings who are in distress.

7. Compassion and Racial Issues (03:22) - Overall in an experiment staged by ABC News, citizens stopped to help a white man in distress 3 times more than they helped a black man. One young woman lends assistance to a black man because she believes in relieving human suffering.

8. Citizen Intervention in Environment Issues (05:35) - In a staged incident, a young man displays blatant disregard for the environment by littering a public boardwalk. Will passersby intervene? Some people pick up the man's trash, following a societal rule called the "rule of reciprocity."