Creating a Generation of Empathic Heroes

Since we base our work in research-based, measurable practices, HIP piloted its lessons over the 2010-2011 school year through ongoing partnerships with ARISE High School in Oakland, CA and Foothill Middle College in Los Altos, CA. In addition to high levels of engagement and interest, formal pre- and post-assessment results showed a meaningful increase in students’ knowledge about the Bystander Effect versus a comparison group – scoring on average 40% higher on a six-point scale. Similar effects were also seen in the students’ knowledge about conformity and prejudice. With an increased understanding of how situations can shape and affect people’s actions, meaningful increases were also seen in the areas of empathy, forgiveness and compassion for others.

A powerful example of the potential of HIP comes from Phillip Johnson, a senior at ARISE who participated in the pilot. In an interview with a Canadian Broadcasting Company radio program, Phillip explained, “I used to be the kind of person who, if someone asks for something, I’d wait a moment and see if anyone’s going to budge, but nobody does. So now if I see somebody in need I just walk right up. Recently [on the bus], there was a guy who was having an asthma attack. Everybody on the bus was talking about ‘I don’t want to see this guy die, put him off the bus, let’s keep going.’” Instead of conforming to the Bystander Effect like everyone else, Phillip remembered what he had learned, had the driver stop the bus, and ran to get help – a life-saving act of everyday heroism.