The Bystander Effect
I’ve always wondered why some people jump into action during an emergency while the majority don’t or why so many believe that taking action is someone else’s responsibility.
It seems like the more people there are in a room, the less help someone will receive. Why is that?
I have experienced this firsthand in very simple situations, like informing restaurant employees that their soda machine is out of ice when no one else seems to care. However, it wasn’t until I gave these seemingly mundane situations more thought that I realized just how often they occur.
Out of Control Volume
Recently, while seeing a movie with my family, the volume during the previews was exceptionally LOUD. In fact, it was deafening. Since I’m more sensitive to loud noises than others, it was painful for me. Then, my head started hurting and I started to feel sick. Not good.
During a lull, I overheard others complaining that the volume was incredibly loud. But it soon became apparent that no one was getting up to tell theater staff. Then I heard someone say, “This is too loud, but I’m sure someone will have them turn it down soon.” That’s when it struck me…No one was going to take any action. Everyone thought that someone else was going to do it.
But Why?
Diagnosing the Problem
I couldn’t understand why others didn’t act. It seems everyone believes someone else will take on the responsibility. I dug deep into psychological research and found two ideas that might explain why.
- Diffusion of Responsibility — This is where a person feels less responsible, and, therefore, is less likely to take action when they are in a group.
- The Bystander Effect — This is when people are less likely to offer assistance to someone during an emergency when there are others around.
In both cases, our reaction is influenced by those around us. It’s easy to believe that someone else will help out and offer their assistance while we are surrounded by so many people; however, when everyone thinks this way, no one ends up taking action.
Based upon their experiments, researchers Darley and Latané determined that a series of decisions have to be made by a person before they take action.
- Noticing a problem
- Determining if it is an emergency
- Deciding to take personal responsibility
- Resolving what needs to be done
- Taking Action
The wrong answer to any one of these steps could result in inaction. In addition, it takes time to answer each question, especially when someone may be operating on little information. In the end, the majority of us end up deciding that someone else is probably more qualified than us to take care of the situation. Oftentimes, this decision is made subconsciously.
Where to Go from Here?
Developing an awareness of our assumptions can help us avoid inaction. We can stop the flawed thinking that tells us someone else will act.
While we may hesitate at first, we can learn to be more aware when we see something and more likely to take action, rather than sit idly by on the sidelines.
Originally published at https://freedomsreach.com on May 20, 2019.
