Psychological phenomena explained: Bystander effect

Everyone is looking, no one is helping. You may have noticed that it usually takes the courageous intervention of one person for other people to start helping those affected. This is not a coincidence but a psychological phenomenon known as the bystander effect.

What is the bystander effect?

The bystander effect is a social phenomenon in which people are less likely to intervene or help someone in need when they are around other people. Psychologists and sociologists have studied this phenomenon in detail and have found that this behavior is usually due to the dispersion of responsibility (i.e., the individual's responsibility for his or her actions decreases when more people are around).

How does that work exactly?

At its core, the bystander effect works by creating a sense of anonymity within a group - making it easier for individuals to stay in the background and avoid any form of direct action. This can be out of fear, shame, or simply indifference, but always leads to the same result - no one intervenes and the person in need remains without help.

Other theories suggest that this behavior is not out of fear or indifference, but is a rational decision based on an attempt to minimize personal cost. For example, if everyone else is holding back, why would you be the only one to take action? In some cases, however, research has also shown that even when someone decides to act first, others remain uninvolved because of "pluralistic ignorance" (the idea that everyone else knows what is going on except them).

Examples

A classic example of the bystander effect was the Kitty Genovese murder case in 1964, in which 38 witnesses heard her cries for help over a 30-minute period, but no one intervened until it was too late-an example of how quickly large groups can become desensitized in the face of danger or violence.

Another example is military conflicts, where some soldiers refuse orders out of fear or apathy, while those around them remain silent out of fear - leading to tragedies such as war crimes committed without consequences.

Advantages and risks

Understanding how and why the bystander effect occurs gives us valuable insights into human nature, but it can also have dangerous consequences - especially in emergency situations or criminal activities where intervention could prevent deaths or serious injuries.

However, at the societal level, recognizing this cognitive bias can help inform policy decisions aimed at promoting more positive behaviors, such as intervening against bullying or helping victims of domestic violence.