Q
Why do we experience the bystander effect?
A
Expert Answer
The bystander effect (less likely to help when others are present) occurs due to: diffusion of responsibility ('someone else will help'), pluralistic ignorance (interpreting others' inaction as indicating no emergency), and evaluation apprehension. Directly addressing specific individuals breaks the effect.
Key Insight
The bystander effect (less likely to help when others are present) occurs due to: diffusion of responsibility ('someone else will help'), pluralistic ignorance (interpreting others' inaction as indicating no emergency), and evaluation apprehension.
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