Bystander Effect
Definition
The bystander effect is a social psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.
Analogy
Imagine you're at a concert and someone faints. You might think, "There are so many people here, surely someone else will help them." That's the bystander effect in action - the more people there are, the less responsibility each person feels.
Related terms
Diffusion of Responsibility: This is when an individual assumes that others will take action in a crisis situation, leading them to feel less personal responsibility.
Pluralistic Ignorance: This refers to a situation where individuals wrongly believe that their own thoughts or behaviors are different from those of others.
Social Influence: This term describes how an individual's thoughts, feelings and actions can be affected by other people.
"Bystander Effect" appears in:
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (10)
- Which of the following is a factor that contributes to the bystander effect?
- What is an example of the bystander effect in society?
- How might one design an experiment analyzing the "bystander effect" across different age groups?
- What does the bystander effect suggest about an individual's likelihood to help someone in distress?
- What situation best illustrates the bystander effect?
- What is a significant evolution in understanding Bystander Effect since its original study by Darley & Latané?
- How does diffusion of responsibility influence bystander effect?
- How does the bystander effect, a social psychological phenomenon, explain instances of non-intervention in a crowded public place when someone needs help?
- What experiment could best determine the influence bystander effect has on emergency response times in a crowded public setting?
- What factor contributes to the bystander effect in an emergency situation?
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