Psychology Facts

▲ Bystander Effect ▲

》 Bystander effect, the inhibiting influence of the presence of others on a person's willingness to help someone in need. Research has shown that, even in an emergency, a bystander is less likely to extend help when he or she is in the real or imagined presence of others than when he or she is alone.

》 The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is for any one of them to provide help to a person in distress. People are more likely to take action in a crisis when there are few or no other witnesses present.

》 A 100% male group of bystanders has the greatest chance to act when 4 or more people are present.

》 The bystander effect can occur with many types of violent and nonviolent crimes. It encompasses behaviors such as bullying, cyber bullying, or drunk driving, and societal issues such as damage to property or the environment.

》 The most frequently cited example of the bystander effect in introductory psychology textbooks is the brutal murder of a young woman named Catherine "Kitty" ​Genovese.

On Friday, March 13, 1964, 28-year-old Genovese was returning home from work. As she approached her apartment entrance, she was attacked and stabbed by a man later identified as Winston Moseley.

Despite Genovese's repeated calls for help, none of the dozen or so people in the nearby apartment building who heard her cries called the police to report the incident. The attack first began at 3:20 AM, but it was not until 3:50 AM that someone first contacted police.

》 Common reasons for not coming to the aid of a victim include:

fear that the personal risk of harm is too great

feeling that one doesn't have the strength or other traits needed in order to be able to help

assuming that others are better qualified to help

watching the reactions of other witnesses and assuming the situation is not as serious as you initially thought because they don't seem alarmed

fear of becoming the target of aggression or bullying

》 You may be more likely to help if you:

know the victim

have training in personal defense

have medical training or experience

been a victim at one time, especially if the perpetrator was caught and held responsible

think the person is deserving of help

》 The bystander effect is equal across all ages and demographics, including children.

》 In a well-known study, researchers found that, when bystanders were alone, 75 percent helped when they thought a person was in trouble. However, when a group of six people were together, only 31 percent helped.

》 If a bystander can help someone without risking their own life and chooses not to, they are usually considered morally guilty. But the average person is typically under no legal obligation to help in an emergency.

》 The same factors that lead to the bystander effect can be used to increase helping behaviors. Individuals are more likely to behave well when they feel themselves being watched by "the crowd," and when their actions align with their social identities.