The bystander effect is something that we learn about in school and something that some of us learn about in life as well. The bystander effect, defined by our textbook, is that “people are less likely to help in an emergency when other bystanders are present” (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2017). The bystander effect leads to a diffusion of responsibility in those who are witnessing the crime or accident, and can create confusion as to who should get help.
I have personally been a bystander of two relatively severe car accidents in just the past few years. Both were previous to my learning of this effect, and I reacted in a very different way each time. Before I went to college, my parents and I were on our way back from dinner. We were driving through an intersection where quite literally seconds before, a bad accident had occurred on the other side of the road. We pulled over, got out of the car, and watched as a young teenager was carried from her car to a grassy area. The cars involved in the accident were totaled, but there were already people rushing from their cars to help. We decided that we would be of no help, and we got back in our car, and drove away. This is a great example of the bystander effect. We were less likely to help in that emergency because there were other bystanders present.
Another time, I was walking early one morning in downtown State College. All of a sudden, a car turns when they weren’t supposed to and crashes into another oncoming car, spinning out of control and hitting the light post that was a mere ten feet from me. In shock, but quickly realizing I was the only one around to have seen what happened, I immediately called 911. I then ran to the girl stumbling out of her wrecked car and stood with her until the ambulance came.
As one can obviously see, I handled both of these situations very differently. Was it due to my age? I was a high schooler in the first one and a college student in the last. Or, was it due to the bystander effect?
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.
The bystander effect is taught to us in our high school and college courses but does that knowledge change how we will react if we are in a situation where we can be a bystander? Like you, I have been in a situation where I was a bystander and I immediately called the police. While I was in New York two summers ago, I saw a man rip a purse out of a woman’s hand after being physically aggressive with her. The street was not excessively packed but about 10 other people witnessed the crime and I saw them all look around without providing any help or calling the police. I knew in that moment that I should call the police to give a description of the man and what he was wearing. In the text it states, “One explanation for the bystander effect is that the presence of others lowers the individual bystander’s sense of responsibility.” (Gruman 2017). Even though, there were about a dozen people who were present, I saw that no one was doing anything so my sense of responsibility heightened. If I had seen someone chase the man or phones getting dialed then maybe my reaction would have been different and I wouldn’t have felt a responsibility to get involved. I also think that my knowledge of the bystander effect lead me to get involved and call the police because I didn’t just want to be a bystander to the crime but instead help in the small way I could. If everyone thinks that someone else will help or call for help then no one will.
References:
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology, 3rd Edition: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Great examples of the bystander effect. I spoke of this in my blog as well because I have always felt that it is interesting and something we are all guilty of. However, you raised some good questions at the end of your post in regards to age and the bystander effect. You questioned if it was age or the effect but possibly both may be correlated. I would be interested in seeing more research on what age group the bystander effect happens to the most. My assumption is that it would be at a younger age since during adolescence we have not seen the effect and reality of some situations. As we get older we have seen the consequences of certain behaviors and situations that give us a better awareness of the reality of some situations. This makes me wonder if your age and the bystander effect were at play together in your first example. Great post!
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.
I really enjoyed you sharing your personal experiences and questioning yourself as it’s often hard for people to admit they may not make the best decisions at all times. I don’t believe the situation with you parents would be an example of the by stander effect (which is a good thing in my eyes.) For example, from the book, when Matti was being beaten people straight up drove away and just assumed someone else would help. In your case, I respect what you and your parents did, as sometimes too many people tying to help can make things worse in emergency situations. It sounds like you are a good person and would never take on the bystander effect in an emergency situation.
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.
The personal examples you provided are excellent for describing the bystander effect. When I first learned about the bystander effect I made it a mission of mine that if I am ever in a situation where someone needs help and there are others around, I will do my best to help all I can and if I am the only one around, to call emergency services ASAP. The story of Kitty Genovese resonates in my mind when I think about the bystander effect or the diffusion of responsibility. Kitty was stalked, stabbed to death, and raped while a building filled with people nearby heard the commotion but did nothing. It wasn’t until she was already near dead that one or two people called the police. If the man who shooed away the murderer had called the police then and there, Kitty would likely have lived. My heart hurts for that woman. Considering the United States is a more individualistic nation, it is no surprise to me that people will diffuse responsibility by thinking “its none of my business”, “there’s nothing I can do”, “it’s not my problem”, or other related thoughts. But it’s important for people to know that emergency situations cancel the notion of “its none of my business”. It is additionally important that people should know if they feel there is nothing they can do in an emergency situation, they should call on someone who can do something. Just knowing these things and keeping them in mind could literally save lives! Unfortunately, most Americans are not woefully aware of psychological phenomena such as these, and therefore fall victim to them. Knowlege truly is power.
Lastly, here is an article written by Robert D. McFadden of the New York Times on April 4th, 2016 in regard to the story of Kitty Genovese and her murderer. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/05/nyregion/winston-moseley-81-killer-of-kitty-genovese-dies-in-prison.html
References:
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology, 3rd Edition: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. Los Angeles: SAGE.
McFadden, Robert D. (2016, April 4). Winston Moseley, Who Killed Kitty Genovese, Dies in Prison at 81. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/05/nyregion/winston-moseley-81-killer-of-kitty-genovese-dies-in-prison.html