The Bystander Effect

There is a phenomenon in psychology called “diffusion of responsibility,” also called the “bystander effect.” When there are a certain number of people around when a problem arises, everyone who is watching will ignore the problem because all of them think that someone else will take care of it. There is a sense of confusion as to who is responsible for helping. A study conducted in 1968 demonstrates this.

Two researchers asked college students to talk about problems that college students face, except that the conversation was held over an intercom “to avoid embarrassment” (no one could see the person talking). During the first round, a student mentioned that he had seizures. When it came to his turn to speak again, he made sounds that made it seem he was having a seizure. The researchers found that the larger the group of people, the less likely people were to help. Eighty-five percent of people who believed they were alone with the seizure victim offered help; sixty-two percent of people in groups of three reported the seizure; and only thirty-one percent of people in groups of six offered help.

The same year, the same researchers conducted a similar study. They invited college students to take part in an interview. While they waited for the interview, smoke began to pour through a vent in the wall. Some people were in groups of three, while others were alone. Again, the larger the group, the less likely people were to report the problem. While seventy-five percent of those alone reported the smoke in less than two minutes, less than thirteen percent of those in groups of three said something, and that within six minutes (by that time the smoke completely filled the room).