Factors affecting bystander intervention Flashcards
What are the four situational factors that affect bystander intervention?
- Diffusion of responsibility
- Noticing the event
- Pluralistic Ignorance
- Cost of helping
What is diffusion of responsibility?
It is where people feel less individually responsible for helping someone in distress as they feel that one of the large number of people in the area will help so they don’t have to.
What is noticing the event?
In larger crowds we tend to keep to ourselves and pay less attention to what is going on around us. We are less likely to notice an emergency situation.
What is Pluralistic Ignorance?
When in situations we often look to others and react based on what they are doing. We look to others to help us to interpret the situation.
If we see a large number of people not helping then we are likely to interpret the situation as non emergency even if that is not the case.
What is cost of helping?
Sometimes we evaluate the situation as having too higher a cost as it risks harm to ourselves so we choose not to help.
If it seems dangerous or we are in a rush then that is a cost and we will not help.
If the cost of not helping is great, then we are more likely to help.
What are the three personal factors that affect bystander intervention?
- Competence
- Mood
- Similarity
If we are in a bad mood, are we more or less likely to help in a situation?
Less likely to help
How does competence affect bystander intervention?
If we do not feel well equipped enough (training or knowledge) then we are less likely to help.
How does similarity affect bystander intervention?
If we are similar in some way to the person needing help, then we are more inclined to get involved.
E.g. if you have been bullied, you are more likely to help someone else that is being bullied because you see the similarities to yourself.
