BYSTANDER INTERVENTION IN EMERGENCIES

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology1968, Vol. 8, No. 4, 377-383 BYSTANDER INTERVENTION IN EMERGENCIES :DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY3 JOHN M. BARLEYNew York UniversityBIBB LATANfiColumbia UniversitySs overheard an epileptic seizure. They believed either that they alone heardthe emergency, or that 1 or 4 unseen others were also present. As predictedthe presence of other bystanders reduced the individual's feelings of personalresponsibility and lowered his speed of reporting (p < .01). In groups ofsize 3, males reported no faster than females, and females reported no slowerwhen the 1 other BYSTANDER was a male rather than a female.

rassment, involvement with police procedures, lost work days and jobs, and other unknown dangers. In certain circumstances, the norms favor-ing intervention may be weakened, leading bystanders to resolve the conflict in the direc-tion of nonintervention. One of these circum-stances may be the presence of other on-lookers.

Loading..

Tags:

  Involvement

Information