Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Zuschauer / Español: espectador / Português: espectador / Français: spectateur / Italiano: spettatore

There is an effect in the finding that a person is less likely to provide help when there are other bystanders.

In the context of psychology, a bystander refers to an individual who is present at an event or incident but does not take part in it. This concept is particularly significant in social psychology, where it relates to the bystander effect—a phenomenon in which the presence of others discourages an individual from intervening in an emergency situation.

Description

The bystander effect occurs when the presence of others inhibits an individual from taking action or stepping in to help in an emergency. The more bystanders present, the less likely it is that any one of them will help, often due to a diffusion of responsibility; each person assumes someone else will be the one to intervene. This effect also involves factors such as social influence and audience inhibition, where individuals monitor the behavior of those around them and conform accordingly.

Application Areas

Understanding the role and behavior of bystanders is critical in several areas within psychology:

• Social psychology: Examines group dynamics and social influence, including how individuals behave in crowds and public settings.
• Community psychology: Focuses on promoting helpful intervention and reducing passive bystander behavior in community settings.
• Emergency psychology: Studies responses to crises and ways to encourage proactive intervention among bystanders in emergency situations.

Well-Known Examples

One of the most famous studies related to the bystander effect is the research conducted by John Darley and Bibb Latané in the 1960s, which was inspired by the murder of Kitty Genovese. Their experiments demonstrated that the probability of help is inversely related to the number of witnesses present, highlighting the diffusion of responsibility among bystanders.

Treatment and Risks

The implications of bystander behavior are significant for public safety and social responsibility:

• Educational programs: Many programs aimed at reducing the bystander effect educate individuals about this psychological phenomenon and train them in specific skills to overcome it, such as emergency first response.
• Risks: The main risk associated with bystander behavior is the failure to assist those in need during emergencies, potentially leading to severe consequences, including harm or death.

Symptoms, Therapy, and Healing

While "symptoms," "therapy," and "healing" are not typically terms used directly in relation to bystander behavior, interventions often focus on:

• Awareness and training: Increasing individual awareness about the bystander effect and providing training on how to act decisively in various situations.
• Community engagement: Encouraging a sense of community responsibility and action can mitigate bystander passivity and promote supportive behaviors.

Weblinks

• allerwelt-lexikon.de: 'Zuschauer' in the allerwelt-lexikon.de (German)

Articles with 'Bystander' in the title

• Bystander apathy: Bystander apathy refers to unwillingness of bystanders to offer help during emergencies or to become involved in other people's problems.
• Bystander effect: Bystander effect refers to the finding that the greater the number of bystanders who witness an emergency, the less likely any one of them is to help. It is the phenomenon that underlies many examples of failing to help strangers in distres . . .
• Bystander intervention (Bystander effect): Bystander intervention (Bystander effect) : Bystander intervention (Bystander effect ) it is a finding that the more people who observe a crisis and who are potential helpers, the less likely any one bystander is to help the victim Bystan . . .
• Bystanders: Bystanders refer to individuals who are openly present but not part of a conversation or situation.

Summary

In psychology, the concept of a bystander is central to understanding how and why people may or may not intervene in emergencies. The bystander effect illustrates the complexities of human social behavior, particularly how group dynamics can lead to inaction. Addressing this through education and community engagement is crucial for fostering a society where individuals feel empowered to act helpfully and responsibly.