The Bystander Effect | The Science of Empathy 

Maybe, but this does happen all the time, heck I've been in that situation probably 100 times or more in my life. Plus there have been many social experiment videos testing the same thing, but in public that show similar results.

that's exactly what i was thinking. i dont feel like i would have offered to help very quickly because they asked the people to sit there and watch and review, not help present.

i don't think the results are skewed at all since the subjects that were alone with the presenter offered to help when they were given the same instructions as the participants in a group of people. i don't really see much of a problem with this test since the controls are maintained the same throughout each trial, but i can understand how a different test would probably be more effective in proving this effect because of what you said.

I think it was skewed though. At least if I had been the subject that wasn't in on it, I wouldn't have helped nearly as quickly when there was a group, because I wouldn't want to embarrass him in front of the group. I realise he's already doing that by being unable to set up the presentation that it's clearly his job to set up. But if I offer to help, I would feel like it's me saying, in front of witnesses, that I think he is so bad at his job that I, as a total amateur, could do a better job at it. And to me that would feel like adding insult to injury. At some point the scale would tip though, where the embarrassment of not being able to put up the tend would have gone on so long, that me offering to help (and thereby insulting his professional skill) would be less embarrassing than what he is already doing to himself. So for me it would have taken longer. If they had tweaked it just a little bit and the guy had said "The guy who was meant to set up the tent today isn't here, so we're just a little bit delayed. Please bear with us while I set it up instead" then I wouldn't have felt that way. Because then it's not this guy's professional skill I'm calling into question, cause it's not his job to be good at this, he's just filling in, and then I would have offered help right away. Same thing goes when he is alone with me, because even if I'm still questioning his professional skill at it, at least I'm not doing so in front of witnesses, so there are no one to embarras him in front of. I don't know if this explanation makes it clear what I mean, but I hope so. That being said, I don't question that the by-stander effect is very real and that this experiment also did show that to a degree. I just think it mixed another thing into it as well, which is not wishing to embarras someone (even if they're clearly embarassing themselves, but it's like the moment you acknowledge that, you make it painfully obvious to everyone. Until that point you can kind of pretend that no one is noticing and help the poor guy save face.)

kailee lenae As is your right. :)

faitharooo they’re so nice to have helped you

faitharooo they’re so nice to have helped you

For me, I feel more inclined to help if I saw it happen, where as if it happened before I saw it I don't usually help. Not sure why though.

I'm the same way. Typically if I see it happen, I'm quick to help, but if I'm coming up on it already completed, I get too focused on where I'm going to stop, but always think about it after.

She can be a hero.

I mean if people are already helping then I'll definitely not do anything. I mean where I'm from there's like a saying which basically says the more cooks there are the more the soup will be salted (and basically ruined). Also I doubt I would step in because as if I know how to set up a tent

leatherback8 that’s actually the first time I’ve heard of it

:))

plus with all of theese fights its like why wont anyone help? i mean i should ask the teacher but others might bully me more.... you see i aint that popular kid or that cool person you see most of the time going to school ME? no im just a normal person ready to learn thats why.... also everybody runs to the area and watch the fight and sometimee record it search up nanakuli fights youll see kinda alot i live in that area.... and also i guess people are having the bystander effect because most of the time they dont care and they just dont wana get involved in it hm

m i d d l e s c h o o l a n d h i g h s c h o o l am i right lol

Jennifer Wright Agreed. I've have a few instances where I tried to help someone and they seemed annoyed that I helped or just straight up said I don't need help. It makes you hesitant, especially in a group if you don't want to get embarrassed infront of ther people for trying to help.

This!

that was exactly my reaction of thought, that was his job and even if struggling maybe he knew how to do it. IF somebody needs help, ask for it. People will come and help.

(leaving the bystander effect aside ) if you care or really want to help you can still ask him ? "do you need some help ?" if he say "no i'm fine" then ok, you have nothing to loose that was a good intention , and even if someone doesn't know how to put up a tent , since he don't know much either 2 brains working on it is better than alone I doubt the people who help in the video are professionals campers but still they help

no. that;s why he made it clear with the type of item: lengthy, flailing sticks that just needed another pair of hands to stabilize so that he could make the connections. they didn;t need to be professional campers to do that.

I feel that 😅

Fuarian But you are rarely there to help, that's often what help implies. If someone drops their grocery bag in front of you, you aren't specifically there to help them but you can still pick up an apple.

imarockstarification i think fuarian is saying that their assignment was to sit and watch a presentation, so they didn't think it would be appropriate to jump in and help with the presentation:)

Your assignment is not to pick up the apple in the grocery store, but the environment is more open-ended.

We were taught that in our CPR class. Point is someone specific and have them confirm that they know you are giving them my tasks

Funny that you mention this. I was just reading a phenomenal web series (approx 7,000 pages), and there is a specific scene where our main character needs bystanders to assist the injured. She specifically recalls what you described and starts giving direct orders to people rather than asking for help.

Actually there have situations where even when someone was physically assaulted people didn't help. For example in the Kitty Genovese Murder, a man had stabbed a women to death while her apartment neighbors just watched and didn't call for help. Demonstrating just how powerful the Bystander Effect actually is.

There are literally hundreds of videos of fights, instead of helping they whip out their camera

Jennifer Ortega. Yes, it's a widely known case. But it's just a case in point. Scenarios in different situations with different people will always have variations in results. I don't doubt the validity of the bystander effect concept. What I'm criticizing is this experiment's ability to actually test empathy.

TheN3rdiest Productions. And there's also tons of examples of people helping others. What's your point? The experiment is still weak.

Who did he out on blast? Did someone pull out their phone? lol

FunForSameer yeah, that was hilarious That person that was filming was real rude, he deserved it

He was in on it, you'll see him sitting in the big crowd as well so he did it to get reactions.

@@tess2082 He wasn't rude he was an actor, that's why he was on every single test

E T That's another thing that plays in, but helping doesn't mean "do it for him". That's why they ask "can I help", implying that if he needs it be will tell you what to do to be helpful. You don't need to be an expert to give a hand.

this is exactly what i was thinking. depending on the subject of course, but in some cases i would be afraid of breaking something or ruing it. also i would think someone else here MUST be better than me on this

This thinking is a super normal anxiety which has been studied... they call it "evaluation apprehension" the fear of performing a task in front of people and being judged... which is one of the reasons that explains the Bystander Effect.

Please don't. You did a GREAT JOB!

You need to see both outcomes as a win. Your offer to help got accepted? Great, you get to help. Your offer to help got declined? Great, you get to not spend time and effort on helping.

I feel that

That is a scary thought. In CPR training, they teach you to point to someone (if there's a crowd) and tell them to call for help. I guess this is why. Maybe that tactic would work, but if you're under attack, it might be difficult to call out or point to a particular person nearby.

+Miriam Robarts It probably would help if you can manage to pull it off and for much the same reason as soon as you call out an individual it forces them to respond personally and breaks the diffusion of responsibility effect. Physically pointing might be difficult if the attacker is restraining you physically though if you can call out some identifying feature of a person that can have a similar effect too "You there in the red shirt" for example.

I'm gonna be honest pointing someone while you're getting raped will probably not make them help you. The type of person who would let a rape go on while doing nothing won't care tbh. People are scary af...

Is he an expert tent setter upper, or is he an expert social researcher through product demonstrations. I see too much speculation here from people, as a means to deflect.

I am almost an expert at putting up pup tents. Have set them up by myself even. So I would not take so long to ask if he wants help. But if it was something he was assembling I was less familiar with, I would probably take longer to offer assistance

gonzostwin1 It doesn't take 10 mins to fill out a one page survey

Also it's a product demonstration, so I'd think I wasn't supposed to help set up as it's their product

gonzostwin1 & beeveearr: I think I would feel that way at first, but it was obvious that he was struggling & could use some help. Also, several of the people looked bored, not busy filling out the survey the whole time. Plus, if they are supposed to be reviewing the product, helping set up a tent would give a lot more info about it than just watching (other than to see if one person could do it).

Helping others is rarely convenient.

gonzostwin1 actually because the whole group except one person was told to not help.

KairyDragon omg dude, we don’t need your life story.

franwex There’s a switch in your head that prevents you from just saying any stupid thing that pops into it. Yours is broken. Please report this malfunction to the original manufacturer. Thank you, and have a nice day.

Right. Nd in dangerous situations one might be afraid to help out because they think they would also put themselves in danger of some sort. Or as you said be blamed for what happens.

And ignore what franwex or whatever said. They are a jerk.

I think you would be right to offer help regardless of how the person reacts. They can always say, "No, thanks." Keep being yourself and don't let it bother you if others can't handle someone just trying to be nice!

you'd be surprised, studies like that have been done with the same results, I had to do an entire research thesis on it.

@@grizzlygates9939 he's pointing out how it's not a good experiment to judge the effect, not that the effect doesn't exist.

Sometimes it is good to stick out