Review of the Bystander Effect Research Review

 

Forces acting on individual bystanders.

The brief review of research on the Bystander Effect suggests that there are three forces acting on an individual’s decision of whether to act in a critical situation. 

First, the sights, sounds, smells, and other situational perceptions provide information about the immediate situation. They also suggest opportunities for acting, and point to obstacles to action. Situational considerations that may weigh in the decision of whether and how to act are situational ambiguity, physical proximity of others, danger of intervention, and need for collective action. 

Second, the presence of other people triggers social cognition, providing an additional set of cognitive strategies for interpreting situational perceptions. The presence of others also adds different opportunities and obstacles to action. Social considerations that may weigh in the decision of whether and how to act are diffusion of responsibility, evaluation apprehension, pluralistic ignorance, and victim derogation. 

Finally, the personal qualities that an individual brings to a particular situation affects how they interpret situational perceptions, and what social cognition they will bring to bear. Their personal capabilities and emotional state also introduce a highly individualized set of opportunities and obstacles to action. Personal considerations that may weigh in the decision of whether and how to act are relevant competence, state of arousal, perceived costs and benefits, and knowledge of bystander effect.

Of course, the decision of whether and how to act may be iterative, balancing these three forces with and against each other. It may also be made subconsciously, in response to a particularly powerful force.