GROUP MEMBERS:
Syed Muzammil Iqbal
Danish Farooq
M.Ahsan Ikhlaq
Yasir Noman
Syed Ahmed Hussain
TOPIC:
The Bystander Effect
COURSE:
Introduction to Psychology
SUBMITTED TO:
Sir M.Faraz
DATE OF SUBMISSION:
30th November, 2015
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The Bystander effect
Abstract:
The bystander effect, or bystander apathy, is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. The probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders. In other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help. Several variables help to explain why the bystander effect occurs. These variables include: ambiguity, cohesiveness and diffusion of responsibility.
Introduction:
The bystander effect occurs when the presence of others discourages an individual from intervening in an emergency situation. Social psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley popularized the concept following the infamous 1964 Kitty Genovese murder in New York City. Genovese was stabbed to death outside her apartment while bystanders who observed the crime did not step in to assist or call the police. Latané and Darley attributed the bystander effect to the perceived diffusion of responsibility (onlookers are more likely to intervene if there are few or no other witnesses) and social influence (individuals in a group monitor the behavior of those around them to determine how to act). In Genovese's case, each onlooker concluded from their neighbors' inaction that their own personal help was not needed.
Literature Review:
The Bystander Literature Before 1981 after the tragic death of Kitty Genovese, Latane´ and Darley began to investigate the social psychological conditions that keep 518 FISCHER ET AL. people from helping. Their influential research program yielded a variety of important empirical and...
