13.6
Bystander Effect
The discussion of bullying highlights the problem of witnesses not intervening to help a victim. This is a common occurrence, as the following well-pu…
Most people say that they would help someone else in an emergency, but their actions don’t necessarily line up with their intentions.
For instance, in a now famous case from 1964, a young woman named Kitty Genovese was brutally and fatally attacked at her apartment. Despite many people hearing her cries for help, no one called the police or came to assist.
This incident describes the bystander effect—a phenomenon that occurs when witnesses or bystanders do not volunteer to help someone in distress if other people are also present.
While there may be a number of obstacles to helping, one reason might be a concern for the situation: people may worry that attending to the person in trouble would endanger themselves.
However, if that’s the case, then why didn’t anyone help by simply calling the police from the safety of their well-lit apartment?
Ironically, even if her neighbors interpreted the event as an emergency, they likely assumed that someone else called for support. This explanation is called the diffusion of responsibility—a tendency for no one to help out when others are present because the accountability can be dispersed amongst many.
That is, the more people there are, the less likely an individual will take action. Conversely, the fewer people there are, the more likely someone will offer assistance.
Knowing this inclination paves a way to overcome the bystander effect. For example, for the person in need, making eye contact and directly asking them for help singles the bystander out from the crowd. As a result, they’re more likely to take responsibility for providing assistance.
They can then decide the best options for helping—such as making a phone call or seeking out another qualified person. While these steps seem intuitive, especially for those trained in serving others, a dutiful reminder to help those in an emergency never hurts.
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Q1: What is the bystander effect and why does it occur?
The bystander effect is a phenomenon where witnesses or bystanders do not volunteer to help someone in distress when other people are present. Rather than taking action, they simply watch what is happening. Social psychologists attribute this to diffusion of responsibility, where accountability is spread among multiple witnesses, reducing individual likelihood of intervention.
Q2: How does diffusion of responsibility explain why bystanders don't help?
Diffusion of responsibility occurs when the obligation to help is spread throughout a group, causing individuals to assume someone else will take action. In the Kitty Genovese case, numerous apartment residents heard her cries but assumed another witness had already called police. The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely any one person will help.
Q3: Why didn't anyone help Kitty Genovese even by calling the police?
Although bystanders feared personal danger, the primary reason was diffusion of responsibility. Residents could have safely called police from their apartments, but each assumed someone else had already done so. With many witnesses present, individual accountability dispersed across the group, preventing anyone from taking action.
Q4: How can someone in distress overcome the bystander effect?
A person in need can overcome the bystander effect by making direct eye contact and explicitly asking a specific bystander for help. This singles out an individual from the crowd, increasing their sense of personal responsibility. Once identified, they're more likely to decide on appropriate assistance, such as calling emergency services or finding qualified help.
Q5: What role does group size play in bystander intervention?
Group size inversely affects helping behavior. The more people present at an emergency, the less likely any individual will intervene. Conversely, when fewer people are present, someone is more likely to offer assistance. This relationship demonstrates how diffusion of responsibility intensifies with larger groups.
Q6: Why do people's intentions to help often differ from their actual behavior?
Most people claim they would help in emergencies, but social situations influence actual behavior more than personal intentions. The bystander effect demonstrates this disconnect—individuals may worry about personal safety or assume others will help. Social context, group presence, and diffusion of responsibility override stated helping intentions.
Q7: What obstacles prevent bystanders from helping in emergencies?
Bystanders face multiple obstacles to helping, including fear for personal safety if intervening directly. However, the primary barrier is diffusion of responsibility, where individuals assume someone else will act. Additionally, bystanders may misinterpret situations as non-emergencies or lack confidence in their ability to help effectively.