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PSY108 - Bystander Effect

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Understanding the bystander effect and how to overcome it.

Kitty Genovese. Kitty Genovese - Article from history.com. The Kitty Genovese murder in Queens, New York, in 1964 is one of the most famous murder cases to come out of New York City and into the national spotlight.

Kitty Genovese - Article from history.com

What propelled it wasn’t the crime or the investigation, but the press coverage that alleged the murder had many witnesses who refused to come to the Kitty Genovese’s defense. This has been disproved over time, but not before it became part of the accepted lore of the crime. The Case Of Kitty Genovese. THE BYSTANDER EFFECT. Factors Affecting Human Reaction. To Help or Not to Help. Diffusion of responsibility. "If no one else says or takes any action, then I won't either" or "What if I embarrass myself?"

Untitled. Why don't bystanders help? Because of ambiguity? "Not sure if he needs help or if I am just thinking too much?" Misinterpreting the Seriousness of the Situation. How to Overcome the Bystander Effect. Psychologists have long been interested in exactly why and when we help other people.

How to Overcome the Bystander Effect

There has also been a tremendous amount of interest in the reasons why we sometimes don't help others. The bystander effect is a social phenomenon that occurs when people fail to help those in need due to the presence of other people. In many cases, people feel that since there are other people around, surely someone else will leap into action.1. Be an Upstander. Speak out! Increase awareness of the bystander effect would help you to understand what to look out for in situations and who to react in emergencies.

Volunteer so that the spirit of helping others will be second nature. People are more likely to help if : Bystander Intervention Resources. Bystander Intervention Training Hollaback!

Bystander Intervention Resources

Provides trainings on how to do your part to protect your neighbors and co-workers when bias and harassment collide in front of you. What’s worse than being targeted with harassment because of your race, sex, religion, color, gender, size, orientation, disability, age, or origin? Being targeted while surrounded by bystanders who see what is happening, but then do nothing. It doesn’t have to be that way. 5Ds of Bystander Intervention.

Distract. Delegate. Delay. Document. Direct.