In the early morning hours of Friday, March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese, then 28 years old, was attacked by an assailant in front of her apartment in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York. Despite her screams for help, she received no direct assistance and ultimately died. It was reported that 38 people witnessed the incident from their apartment windows, but not a single person called the police. This event shocked American society, leading to widespread despair over the fact that no one intervened despite so many witnesses.
“Psychologist Bibb Latané’s Experiment Explaining the Genovese Incident”
To understand why no one reported the crime despite so many witnesses, psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley conducted an experiment. The results of their experiment led them to coin the term “Bystander Effect.”
“Bystander Effect: The more witnesses there are, the more diffused the sense of responsibility, leading to fewer people helping those in need.”
The Bystander Effect describes the phenomenon where the presence of many witnesses leads individuals to believe that someone else will take action, thereby shifting responsibility to others. This means that the more witnesses there are to a crime or emergency, the less likely it is that any one person will help.
“Experiment 1 Investigating the Bystander Effect”
The EBS documentary “The Two Faces of Humanity” replicated this experiment in three parts. The first experiment was as follows:
Five strangers were placed in a room where they couldn’t see each other’s faces. An examiner entered, distributed test papers, and instructed them to solve problems for 15 minutes before leaving. The examiner then made a loud noise and pretended to collapse in pain outside the door.
In this scenario, most participants did not help the examiner. About 87% continued working on their problems in silence for the full 15 minutes.
“Experiment 2 Investigating the Bystander Effect”
The second experiment involved a single participant solving problems alone in a room. As before, the examiner distributed the papers, left, and pretended to collapse outside the door.
In this case, every participant helped the examiner. The sense of sole responsibility motivated the participants to act.
“Experiment 3 Investigating the Bystander Effect”
The third experiment took place in a public setting. A person carrying books dropped them on the street, and the reactions of passersby were observed.
The responses varied depending on the number of passersby:
- When one person passed by, the likelihood of helping was 82%.
- With two passersby, it dropped to 38%.
- With 3-5 passersby, it was 15%.
- With more than six passersby, the likelihood was 0%.
“Countering the Bystander Effect”
When in danger and surrounded by many potential witnesses, how can one overcome the Bystander Effect? The key is to single out one person and ask for help specifically. The more specific the request, the better. For example, “The man in the blue shirt, please help me!” or “Please call the police!” This direct approach shifts responsibility onto the designated individual, increasing the likelihood of assistance.
“Examples of the Bystander Effect”
The Bystander Effect occurs frequently. While the Genovese incident is the most well-known example, other incidents include:
- June 19, 2008: Death at Kings County Hospital, USA
- October 7, 2007: Assault on a girl in the Barcelona Metro, Spain
- May 9, 2003: Assault at Gunja Station on Line 5 of the Seoul Metro, South Korea
Understanding the Bystander Effect can help increase the chances of receiving help in emergencies. Conversely, members of the public should aim to act rather than fall into the psychological trap of the Bystander Effect.
“The Truth About the Genovese Incident”
The psychological experiments were inspired by the Genovese incident, but later revelations suggested the initial reports were exaggerated. While it was reported that 38 witnesses ignored the crime, most residents could not see what was happening and assumed it was a drunken brawl. Only three people who fully understood the situation failed to act.
Additionally, the incident occurred around 2 a.m., and Genovese was attacked twice. After the first attack, she staggered into a nearby building before the assailant returned to deliver the fatal blow. The final assault was witnessed by only one highly intoxicated individual.
Crucially, there were people who did call the police, one even received a confirmation report. Two witnesses reported the attack, and one person shouted at the assailant. An elderly housewife rushed out to comfort Genovese until an ambulance arrived, later being hailed as a hero by the community. Unfortunately, Genovese died en route to the hospital.
Despite the discrepancies in the initial account, the Bystander Effect experiments still hold valuable insights. Knowing how to counteract this effect can increase the likelihood of receiving help in emergencies.