Why Not Help?

 The bystander effect is a highly fascinating concept that simply states, the more people present at the scene of a crime, accident, etc. the less likely someone will step up and help. If someone is injured or being harmed why not stop and help?

The article "The Bystander Effect: The Psychology Behind a Social Phenomenon" by Benjamin Spall gave a very good explanation to the whole concept. People in a very large crowd that witness a crime feel less drive to help because they feel less responsibility. The author states, "The reason for this is due largely to the diffusion of responsibility concept. If you are in a larger group of people, such as walking down a busy sidewalk, and you see someone fall over and cry out in pain, you will feel little personal responsibility to help this individual as there are a large number of other people around you better who, you tell yourself, are better positioned to help." While this is true another reason people don't stop is because they do not want to draw attention to themselves, they simply want to keep going with the flow of the crowd and blend in. Maybe they feel a form of secondhand embarrassment from the situation. A prime example would be the young woman that was recently murdered on a train. Instead of rendering assistance the people around her moved seats because they felt uncomfortable. Maybe they were experiencing shock from the traumatic stabbing they had just witnessed. Instead of helping they simply moved like it didn't happen at all.

In summary, the bystander effect is highly fascinating but devastating. The mental bind it creates puts lives at risk. People need to learn how to combat the effect for the greater good of the individuals around them. It's okay to draw attention to yourself if it means keeping others safe.