The term bystander effect refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the number of people present, the less likely people are to help a person in distress.
In the horrible case of Kitty Genovese, she was attacked by a horrible man in the middle of the pitch black night. She kept screaming, pleading for help, for anyone to save her and call for help from the police.
About a dozen or so people in a nearby building heard her… but NO ONE called for help. Everyone who heard her assumed that since other people had heard her cries for help, they would be the one to call the police and help her. They fell victim to the bystander effect and therefore, no one called for help until it was too late. By the time police arrived, Kitty was dead.
My Psychology teacher taught me about this term and she shared a story about her life that was very personal to her. I won’t go into details. What I will say is that her brother, who she loved so much and adored, died because of the bystander effect. No one stood up or said anything. They followed the group, fell victim to the bystander effect, and because of that, her brother died. As she told the story, I could see her holding back tears.
So what can you do to avoid falling into this trap of inaction? Some psychologists suggest that simply being aware of this tendency is perhaps the greatest way to break the cycle.
When faced with a situation that requires action, understanding how the bystander effect might be holding you back and consciously taking steps to overcome it can help. However, this does not mean you should place yourself in danger.
But what if you are the person in need of assistance? How can you inspire people to lend a hand? One often-recommended tactic is to single out one person from the crowd. Make eye contact and ask that individual specifically for help. By personalizing and individualizing your request, it becomes much harder for people to turn you down.
Don’t fall victim to the bystander effect. Don’t be afraid to stand up and say something.
Someone’s life might just depend on it.
I ask you to upvote this, so that others may break the cycle by knowing and understanding what the bystander effect is.
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