Understanding the Bystander Effect in Society

Sunmi Famule

Hour 1

Psychology Paper

Imagine that you were walking down a crowded hallway and you stumble upon a person passed out in the middle of the hall. You are not the only one who sees this person but you notice no one else is helping. Would you help the person or keep walking? Your answer is probably “of course I would help the person, it’s the human thing to do”. If your answer closely relates to the given one you are mostly likely incorrect. According to studies done by both amateur and professional psychologist you are more likely to keep walking than help that fallen person. This is something known as the Bystander Effect. The bystander effect is a phenomenon where no help is offered to a victim due to the presence of others and

In a study done by both Bibb Latane and John Darley, they measured the amount of time it took individuals to respond and act in a given situation based on the number of people present in the room (Bystander). They found that when individuals were in rooms by themselves and smoke filled the room, there was a 75 percent chance of the person reporting the smoke (Bystander). Whereas, when people were placed in rooms which contained other participants there was only a 38 percent chance of the people reporting the incident (Bystander). This unfortunately is not the only study which comes to a similar conclusion. A social experiment done by teenagers at a local high school shows the same thing. The students went around the school and asked their classmates and teachers if they would help a student that was found passed out in the halls (YouTube). All of those who were interviewed said yes they would. When this situation was tested, it proved the students to be liars. Over 70 (if not more) students walked over the body of the passed out girl (YouTube). Some even took pictures and laughed (YouTube). No one helped the girl because they all believed that it was not their job due to the presence of others. Looking at everyday life it is easy to see how the bystander effect can not only be applied to big situations such as the ones listed above, but also, to small ones. Such as, walking down a hall and walking by a piece if trash someone dropped. Most people (if not all) will continue walking and refuse to pick up the trash because it was not their doing. Perhaps this is a contributing factor to the fact that many people go without help in emergency