A computer assisted experiment was conducted to analyze the information search process in decision making at helping behavior. Sixty-five female students were shown eight helping situations and information lists on personal computer display. They were asked to retrieve informations on display by pressing a key in order to make decision as to whether to help or not.
An analysis of the retrieval order of informations suggested that these situations were classified into three groups··daily life help, emergency help, and charity-donation··, in which similar cognitive and affective process exists.