1: Social Psychology & Bystander Effect Flashcards
Social Psychology is…
The scientific study of how an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are affected by the people around them.
What would social psychologists ask?
1) How does our social environment affect our personality, attitudes, and behaviour?
2) Why/how do attitudes change when people are in groups?
Social Psychology is the study of… (3 main components)
1) Social thinking
- How we perceive ourselves and others
- What we believe
- Judgements
- Attitudes
2) Social Influence
- Culture & biology
- Pressure to conform
- Persuasion
- Groups of people
3) Social Relations
- Prejudice
- Aggression
- Attraction & intimacy
- Helping
1) Bystander Effect
The likelihood for someone to give less help if others are also present.
2) Obedience
Obeying instructions from a person
3) Conformity
The change in behaviour resulted from influence form a group.
4) Compliance
Individual goes along with group’s actions, but sticks to own beliefs.
5) Acceptance
Individual is taken into group’s values and norms. Changes individual’s attitudes and perspectives.
Bystander Effect is also called what syndrome?
Genovese syndrome
Kitty Genovese was murdered because bystanders thought others head so they would handle it/she was okay because no one else was doing anything.
John Darley & Bibb Latane
Conducted experiments to understand factors that influence people’s willingness to help in an emergency.
Ex: Smoke in a room
Found that the presence of other bystanders decreased the likelihood of someone offering help.
Led to Bystander Effect Theory.
Reasons why no one helped….
1) Ambiguity
Situation was ambiguous (Unclear). Could be joke=embarrassment
2) Pluralistic Ignorance
Individual believes other witnesses see situation as okay.
3) Diffusion of Responsibility
Witnesses believe others would help, held back by self-centred motives.
4) Conforming to Social Norms
Casual Crowd Phenomenon: Everyone does something=becomes a norm.
Why does Bystander affect occur?
1) Diffusion of responsibility
2) Afraid
3) Self risk
Factors that influence Bystander Effect:
1) Size of aggressor
2) Size of crowd (Other bystanders)
3) Type of group (Peer pressure w/ friends)
Why wouldn’t people help online?
1) Magnitude Amplification
Number of users can diffuse responsibility.
2) Anonymity and Individuation
Screen can be a wall, face-to-face interaction could be different.
3) Overload of Information
Many posts can desensitize harmful content
Consequences of Digital Bystander Effect
1) Cyberbullying
2) Spread of Misinformation
3) Mental Health Implications
