UNFORTUNATE EVENT: BYSTANDER EFFECT

There is a man with mental difficulties tormented by teenagers on the park until one of them threw rock on him and followed by another one. He was hit on the head and other parts of his body, he asked for help but nobody dare to give a hand or protect him. The adults around…


There is a man with mental difficulties tormented by teenagers on the park until one of them threw rock on him and followed by another one. He was hit on the head and other parts of his body, he asked for help but nobody dare to give a hand or protect him. The adults around him only stare for a moment, some ignore it and others walk away from him. Many of this scenario is happening today, and this social phenomenon is called the Bystander Effect.

                What is the bystander effect? According to psychology, the Bystander Effect denotes a social psychological scenario where a victim in an emergency situation is not offered help by surrounding individuals, even though they are aware that the victim needs assistance. The mere presence of other bystanders greatly reduces the likelihood of intervention. 

                Those people who acts like bystanders maybe:

  • Confused of what is really happening
  • Afraid to be involved in the situation
  • They do not know what to do
  • Due to diffusion of responsibility
  • Adults knew that man was helpless and was being attacked yet there was no one stop it.
  • Even though the man was being distressed at the park, this behavior was being tolerated rather than being addressed in a forceful, effective, and sustained fashion.
  • Young people had not been taught the skills they need to prevent and stop an assault, including how to break out of denial, overcome feelings of discomfort, and get help if they see an attack taking place.

Diffusion of Responsibility is when the number of bystanders increases, any given bystander is less likely to interpret the incident as a problem, and less likely to assume responsibility for taking action. That is why most of us does not wanted to be involved or participate in such situation because we believed that someone will do it, but most of us this is what we thought on those situation. Bystander Effect is not only common on adults but also on our kids, and our students. It happen inside and outside of our school premises and we do not know about how we stop this social phenomenon.

The Bystander Effect was in effect on many levels leading up to this brutal assault.

We need to cure this phenomenon of social mischief, we need to be assertive and responsible to defy this action towards those people being abused. Let us give a hand and reach those victims, do not be afraid or wait for others to act. We need to do it now, not later or wait for the other to do those deed.

Reference:

http://www.whatispsychology.biz/about-bystander-effect-definition

http://study.com/academy/lesson/diffusion-of-responsibility-definition-theory-examples.html

By: Racy V. Troy | Samal National High School