CATW Sample: Individual In Groups

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Reading Passage, Prompt, and Sample Essay

Individuals in Groups

Something happens to individuals when they are in a group. They think and act differently than they would on their own. Most people, if they observe some disaster or danger on their own—a woman being stabbed, a pedestrian slammed by a hit-and-run driver—will at least call for help; many will even risk their own safety to intervene. But if they are in a group observing the same danger, they hold back. The reason has more to do with the nature of groups than the nature of individuals.

In one experiment in behavioral psychology, students were seated in a room, either alone or in groups of three, as a staged emergency occurred: Smoke began pouring through the vents. Students who were on their own usually hesitated a minute, got up, checked the vents and then went out to report what certainly seemed like a fire. But the students who were sitting in groups of three did not move. They sat there for six minutes, with smoke so thick they could barely see, rubbing their eyes and coughing.

In another experiment, psychologists staged a situation in which people overheard a loud crash, a scream and a woman in pain, moaning that her ankle was broken. Seventy percent of those who were alone when the “accident” occurred went to her aid, compared with only 40 percent of those who heard her in the presence of another person.

Psychologists call this “diffusion of responsibility” or “social loafing.” The more people in a group, the lazier each individual in it becomes. Often, observers think nothing needs to be done because someone else has already taken care of it, and the more observers there are, the less likely any one person is to call for help.

Adapted from “In Groups We Shrink” by Carol Tavris. Originally published in the Los Angeles Times, 1991.


Writing Directions
Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.
Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that will help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay.


Sample Essay Response with score of 5 5 5 5 5 from one reader (Passing)

People are not the same when they are in a group. A person is smart, responsible, reasonable, and hardworking. A person cares for others and knows his or her moral standing. People are unintelligent, scared, lazy and onlooking. People seem to think that its always some elses problem All they can do is watch so thats what they will do. Yes, a person is less likely to act if no one else is acting. Even if it is the moral or professional duty of a person to help or act, they may fail if they feel out numbered.

Carol Tavris says from her “In Groups We Shrink” that, in groups, people have, what Psychologist call, “diffusion of responsibility” or “social loafing.”

Experiments show that students, in a room filling with smoke, would be more likely to call for help if they were alone. This is contrary to the test with multiple students who would sit there and allow the smoke to fill the room. In a real life situation the people who do not act upon smoke is not likely to survive.

This behavior is not restricted to young college or high school students which have little life experience. In a surveillance video of a parking lot, a man was stabbed and then mugged. The assailant escape leaving the man bleeding. The man gathered enough strenght to stumble in front of the traffic going though the parking lot. He might have thought to himself that this would be a fast way to get help. The drivers proved him wrong. Cars would drive around him to avoid him. Perhaps these people did not want to hold up traffic. Each minute wasted is more blood drained. Even a school bus carefully tried to avoid him. The man, knelt down hold his arms up with blood on them Finally a lone man got out of his car and assisted the man to the hospital. It took almost an hour for someone to decide to help and it was during a gap where the savior was alone with no traffic behind him and no passenger.

At the hospital one could be treated for whatever ailments one may have. That is why the stab victim wanted to go so badly. But even at the hospital there is no guarantee. At one New York City hospital, a elderly woman collapsed due to a heart condition in the lobby. All the people waiting watched as she hit the floor. However they returned to whatever they were doing. Minutes go by and activity around her remained normal. Doctors were seen walking passed and then disappearing past the camera. Almost an hour passes and finally a guard is seen feeling her pulse. After ten minutes a stretcher comes to take her away. What took so long? Whatever the case may be the assured thought was that some else must be handling it.

There are cases of individuals who would help despite other people. But the general masses are always onlookers. As seen, students seem to disregard their own life from laziness. Even adults and professionals are guilty of this. This is the nature of people. That is why there are heroes in the world. There needs to be balance.



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