What is the bystander effect?

The bystander effect refers to the phenomenon where the presence of other individuals discourages an individual from intervening in an emergency situation. This effect often arises because individuals tend to assume that someone else will take action, leading to a diffusion of responsibility among the group. As the number of bystanders increases, each person's sense of personal responsibility diminishes, which ultimately decreases the likelihood that any one individual will offer help.

In this context, the idea that the likelihood of helping decreases when there are other bystanders encapsulates the essence of the bystander effect. The reasoning behind this is rooted in social psychology research that has consistently shown that people are less likely to intervene when they perceive that others are available to assist, thereby shifting the responsibility away from themselves.