Bystander Effect

1964

Bibb Latané (b. 1937), John Darley (b. 1938)

Under what conditions are human beings, at least in Western societies, most likely to help another individual who is in distress, being harmed, or otherwise in need of assistance? One of the most well-known research findings in American social psychology suggests that people are more likely to help when they are alone rather than when they are in groups. This has come to be known as the bystander effect. The actual event from which the researchers drew their conclusions was the shocking murder in 1964 of a young woman, Kitty Genovese, on a New York City street in view of multiple witnesses. While at least one witness shouted at the attacker initially, once Genovese regained her footing and stumbled off, no one followed up. She was then attacked again, this time fatally.

Social psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley were so disturbed by the lack of intervention that they attempted to replicate it in a series of laboratory studies (but they did not use murder or violent acts as part of the research). They argued that the presence of others—a group—may serve to inhibit action. In doing so, the researchers countered a long social-psychology tradition of viewing the group or the crowd as a likely source of inciting negative actions, such as group violence. For Latané and Darley, the effect of group pressure that resulted in inaction held potential to undermine social values and social order.

The take-home message for many readers was that crowded cities are dangerous, and no one will help you if you are threatened. More recent research has questioned many of the key aspects of the Genovese story, including the number and actions of witnesses. Perhaps even more important, some social psychologists have begun to show the positive power of people in groups and how they can be energized to act on behalf of others.

SEE ALSO Conformity and Independence (1951), Obedience (1963)

New York City subway riders lost in their own thoughts, reading the newspaper, in this 1974 photograph by Jim Pickerell. Social psychology studies suggest that people are more likely to help when they are alone rather than when they surrounded by other people.