Racial Comparisons of Ability in Immediate Recall of Logical and Nonsense Material

Summary

This study examines the applicability of normative theory to helping behavior. Temporally defined norms, such as those associated with holidays, are not subject to the criticisms applied to situationally defined norms. The charitable gift giving norms associated with Christmas were assumed to grow stronger as Christmas Day drew nearer. An observational study indicated that the average donation to a Salvation Army kettle increased with temporal nearness to Christmas. Analysis of these data and earlier studies suggests that intensity of charitable behavior may be associated with subject characteristics including strength of felt norms; whereas extensity may be associated with situational features.