Bystander Apathy

Quick Write
What happened in the video in terms of group behavior and the Bystander Effect is that as the man offering free hugs walked around, no one came to him at first. But, once the first person decided to build the courage to go for a hug, people began to see two different groups that they could conform to, those who walked by and those who went for a hug. With the sudden appearance of a new group, people will feel compelled or encouraged to go for a hug instead of just walking by like everyone was doing before.

Deconstructing Social Psychology Experiments

Analyze the Darley and Latane experiments for each element of the Scientific Method.

Problem: What were they testing? What phenomenon or event prompted it?

Why are people less likely to respond in an emergency when there are a large group of people around? The Kitty Genovese case was what prompted this experiment. (Bystander Effect)

Their hypothesis: Write an if/then statement.

If an individual is in a group, then the individual is less likely to respond in the event of an emergency and more likely to conform to the group's actions.

Experiment design: (what did they do to test their hypothesis?)

The experimenters put participants in a lab in the pretext that they were there to discuss personal problems with other unknown individuals through intercom. After a while of discussing, an actor that was participating in the discussion begins to fake an epileptic seizure and that is when the experimenters begin measuring how long it takes for the participants to respond.

Data: What happened?

The data collected showed that the more people were involved in the group discussion, the slower participants were to respond to the apparent emergency. In addition, some people made no attempt to respond to the emergency but all were left with conflicted emotions.

Findings/Conclusions: What was learned by the experiment?

The findings of this experiment show that the more people are present, the longer participants take to help.

Final Reflection

     The Darley and Latane experiments really speak to us about humans and human behavior, especially when in groups. It says that humans are more likely to stray away from being an individual and conform when in groups. I think that it is harder for people to act when there are more people present because we humans are constantly doubting ourselves and I believe that we've been raised from a very young age to look to others for reassurance, acceptance, and cues. If we were ever unsure of something we rely on others for reassurance, we conform to groups in order to feel accepted, and we look to others in uncomfortable situations for cues as to know what to do. But, looking to others for an answer and being a bystander is not always right. Therefore, I will provide three steps that can help people to not fall victim to the Bystander Effect. First, remember that no matter what, you should stay true to yourself. Second, if you feel differently from a group, then speak up. Lastly, remember that you don't have to look to others so often. Be yourself and believe in yourself.