Bystander effect and bystander intervention

Question 1

Bystander effect

Answer 1

Also known as bystander apathy is when we fail to help another in need

Question 2

Bystander intervention

Answer 2

Choosing to help someone in need

Question 3

Kitty Genovese

Answer 3

On March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old bartender, stabbed outside the apartment building where she lived in New York. Allegedly 38 witnesses saw or heard the attack, and that none of them called the police or came to her aid.

Question 4

Situational factors affecting bystander intervention

Answer 4

Diffusion of responsibility
Noticing the event
Pluralistic ignorance
Cost of helping

Question 5

Diffusion of responsibility

Answer 5

One of the main reasons for bystander effect is that we feel less responsible when there are other people around. The more people, the less individual responsibility we feel as we diffuse responsibility to others

Question 6

Noticing the event

Answer 6

In large crowds we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves and pay less attention to what goes on around us, so we are less likely to notice an emergency. Latane and Darley conducted an experiment that showed we take longer to notice things when in groups than when we are alone.

Question 7

Pluralistic ignorance

Answer 7

When we interpret the situation according to others’ actions. If we see a large number of people not helping, we are likely to interpret the situation as a non-emergency.

Question 8

Cost of helping

Answer 8

Sometimes we evaluate a situation as having too high a cost as it risks harm to ourselves, so we choose not to help.

Question 9

Personality factors affecting bystander intervention

Answer 9

Competence
Mood
Similarity

Question 10

Competence

Answer 10

If we feel competent enough to help, this may affect our decision on whether we help. For example, if someone knows CPR and sees someone in need of CPR, they are more likely to intervene.

Question 11

Mood

Answer 11

People are more likely to help when they are in a good mood because they look outwards and pay attention to what happens around them. When in a bad mood we focus our attention inwards.

Question 12

Similarity

Answer 12

If we perceive ourselves as similar to the person in need, we are more likely to help them. We identify with the person and see how the same fate may be true for us