Final answer:
The explanation that is not one of the three offered by researchers for urban-rural differences in helping rates is that people in cities are less empathic than those in rural areas. Other valid reasons are the risk of diffusion of responsibility, stimulus overload, and diversity challenges in urban environments. Therefore the correct answer is a) People who live in cities are less empathic than people who live in rural areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
You asked which of the following is not one of the three explanations researchers have offered for the rural-urban difference in helping rates. Among the reasons listed, the one that is not commonly cited by researchers as an explanation for the rural-urban difference in helping rates is a) People who live in cities are less empathic than people who live in rural areas. Instead, valid explanations include b) the risk of diffusion of responsibility, where individuals feel less compelled to act because the presence of others distributes the responsibility; c) stimulus overload, where the sensory overload in urban environments can make it harder to notice those in need; and d) diversity challenges, where people are less likely to help those who are perceived as different from themselves.
Research has shown that factors such as the bystander effect play a significant role in influencing people's behavior in public spaces, particularly in urban environments, where individual actions can be influenced by the mere presence of others. This contributes to the diffusion of responsibility, making people less likely to intervene during emergencies or when a social norm is violated, a documented phenomenon in social psychology.