Question

The bystander effect captures a shadowy side of human nature. It may have contributed to atrocities such as the Holocaust and witch hunts. It may have its roots in childhood with those who watch bullying without intervening. Discuss the bystander effect utilizing the links below or recent news stories. Include in your discussion: One factor that might increase the chances of helping another One factor that might decrease the likelihood that a person in need will receive help. Note that it was the bystander intervention that saved the life of the 13 year old girl in the news link below. Likewise, recently in the Newark bus crash, bystanders attempted to rescue victims. Likewise helping behavior was noted in the mall when a woman on crutches dropped her papers.

Answer 1

The bystander effect refers to when there is group of people instead of individual beings, the possibility of helping reduces. In simpler words, when there are more number of people witnessing an emergency, the possibility to come out and help is likely to decrease because they keep looking around for others to come out and help. When a person is alone or with another being, he is more likely to help somebody in an emergency than when he is in a group.

However, the following actions could be taken to increase the likelihood that someone would help in an emergency that happens in front of a large crowd;

• The first step includes noticing the event. If a person does not notice the situation, he would not help.
• The bystander must the most importantly interpret the situation as an emergency.
• He must then take the responsibility to help instead of waiting for somebody else to help.
• The bystander must then decide on an appropriate response.
• The final step is to implement the response.

The obstacles to helping that could continue to persist is diffusion of responsibility. The bystander may wait for somebody else to help and not take the responsibility of helping.